Search for Power
by Xtreme Gamer
Summary: After a devestating loss in the Sinnoh League Ash learns of a new region with a more challenging League. Can he win here, and what lessons will he learn along the way? Eventual AshXOC
1. From Bad to Worse

It's been a while since I had anything new, so here's something new for you guys. By the way "this" and _"this" _are human speech and thought. "(This)" and _"(this)"_ are Pokémon speech and thought.

And now to get this out of the way. I do not own Pokémon.

**Chapter 1: From Bad to Worse**

"The winner and this year's Sinnoh Champion is Paul from Veilstone City!" This was not how things were supposed to go. He wasn't supposed to lose, not after all the work he and his Pokémon put in. And yet here he was, Ash Ketchum, on the losing end of yet another battle against his rival Paul. The Pallet Town native was staring out across the battlefield in shock. The championship battle between the two rivals started nearly half an hour ago. Ash started off on the right foot when his Infernape scored a quick KO of Paul's Weavile, but after that it was all downhill. Paul went on to record six straight KOs, his Electabuzz scoring the last one over Ash's Pikachu. While Ash was in shock Paul showed no emotion. He didn't acknowledge the crowd's cheers as he recalled his Electabuzz. He barely acknowledged Ash as the defeated trainer walked out onto the battlefield to tend to his fallen friend. As Ash scooped Pikachu into his arms the Mouse Pokémon looked up at his trainer with apologetic eyes.

"(Sorry… Ash… I guess… I… wasn't… s-strong… enough,)" he said.

"No, buddy. You don't have anything to apologize for," Ash told him, flashing a weak smile. "You and the others battled with everything you had, and I couldn't ask for anything more." Pikachu managed to smile at his trainer's words. Ash returned that smile briefly before standing and facing Paul. Though he hated to admit it he knew he had lost to the better trainer that day. And so he walked over to his bitter rival, extending his hand.

"Congratulations, Paul. You were the better trainer today," he said, though every word tasted bitter on his tongue. The Veilstone trainer looked at Ash's extended hand briefly before turning his back to him and walking away.

"I was always the better trainer, and don't you forget it," he scoffed. Ash glared daggers at his retreating form, his hand that was offered now clenched into a tight fist.

"Why that no-good…" Ash's anger was as high as it had ever been. He had lost to Paul before, but this time was different. It wasn't just some random battle between the two of them. This was the one battle that meant the most to Ash, and the one that hurt the most.

* * *

The closing ceremonies for the Sinnoh Championship had concluded close to half an hour ago, but that was the furthest fact from Ash mind. He was currently sitting alone in the Pokémon Center, having elected not to attend the closing ceremonies. He had told Brock and Dawn he wanted to get his Pokémon to the Center quickly, but that was only half-true. The fact that he had lost to Paul still weighed heavily on his mind and contributed to his decision to leave the stadium early.

"What did I do wrong? How was he able to beat me that easily?" Ash questioned. He went over the battle time and time again in his head, trying to determine if he had made some kind of mistake that Paul capitalized on. After much thought Ash came to the same conclusion each and every time: Paul was better than he was. Ash let out a sigh of defeat.

"I guess he really is better than me," he admitted. Right then a chime went off inside the Pokémon Center, letting Ash know his Pokémon were through with their check-ups. As he approached the front desk he saw Nurse Joy waiting with Pikachu and a tray holding his remaining Poké Balls. When he was close enough Pikachu jumped onto his usual spot on Ash's shoulder.

"How you feeling, buddy?" Ash asked.

"(Great, thanks to Nurse Joy,)" the mouse replied.

"All of your Pokémon have been restored," Nurse Joy said.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ash said, a bit of sadness in his voice. Nurse Joy, having caught on, smiled at him.

"I know you're disappointed, but try to look on the bright side. You managed to make it to the finals. You should be proud of that," she told him.

"Perhaps you're right," Ash said. He thanked her once again before returning to his seat. Once there he began to think about the Pokémon who had battled along side him during the Sinnoh Championship tournament. Pikachu… Infernape… Torterra… Buizel… Staraptor… Gible… all six of them gave it there all, and yet they still fell short. He felt bad about losing, but more for the Pokémon than himself. They were the ones who were out there battling and deserved to win the most. In a way he felt like he failed them as a trainer.

"(You okay, Ash?)" Pikachu asked, sensing his trainer's depression.

"Not really, Pikachu. I'm still bummed about losing the championship to Paul," Ash admitted. "I feel like… like I was the one who failed you guys." Pikachu had a feeling that's what was on Ash's mind.

"(You didn't fail us, Ash. This was a team effort. We win together and we lose together. There's not one of us who's more to blame for losing than another,)" Pikachu explained.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, but I wonder if the others feel the same way?" Ash questioned.

"(They do. Trust me,)" Pikachu answered. Ash smiled as he reached up and scratched Pikachu behind his ears. If there was one thing he could count on it was having Pikachu there to cheer him up whenever he was down.

"Thanks, buddy. I needed that," Ash said.

"(Hey, that's what friends are for,)" Pikachu replied.

"Speaking of friends Dawn and Brock should have been back by now. What's taking them so long?" Ash wondered. Pikachu brought a paw to his chin.

"(Knowing Dawn she's probably buying up every Capsule Seal here, and Brock's more than likely being dragged off by Croagunk after another failed attempt at picking up a date,)" Pikachu guessed.

"I can picture the scene right now," Ash chuckled, thinking about what Pikachu had said. During this Dawn and Brock walked into the Pokémon Center.

"I still think you should talk to Ash about this," Brock said.

"I'll be fine, Brock. I've grown a lot since the day Ash and I first met," Dawn argued.

"I don't deny that, but I still think this is something he needs to know about. He really cares about you," Brock told her.

"I know he does, but this is still my decision to make," Dawn replied.

"I know Dawn, but I… just promise me you'll talk to Ash, even if it's just to let him know what you've decided. He deserves that much," Brock pleaded.

"Okay, I'll talk to him," Dawn sighed. "Now let's finish up here so I can…" A sudden gust of wind interrupted her. Looking towards the front desk she saw what caused it, for there was Brock on one knee holding Nurse Joy's hand.

"My darling Nurse Joy! Though the battle for the Sinnoh crown has been won a heated battle still rages within my heart… a battle for your love!" he declared. The poor nurse didn't know how to react.

"I beg you, please help me bring an end to this lonely battle... Help me put an end to the heart-breaking struggle… help me…"

"Gunk!"

"GAH!" Brock crumpled in pain right in front of the nurse after receiving yet another Poison Jab from his Croagunk.

"Please… help me…" he groaned while being dragged off by his Pokémon. Dawn sighed as she watched the spectacle.

"All it takes is a pretty face to make Brock lose all control," she commented.

"Dawn! Hey Dawn!" The Twinleaf Town coordinator looked up in time to see Ash and Pikachu approaching her.

"We were wondering what was taking you guys so long," Ash said. "Hey, where's Brock?" Dawn shrugged her shoulders.

"Wherever Croagunk dragged him off to," she answered. Ash just shook his head, Pikachu mimicking his actions.

"He'll never learn," he sighed.

"(I guess not,)" Pikachu agreed. While Pikachu and Ash commented on Brock's antics Dawn was trying to figure out what to say to the trainer who had become her mentor. She knew she promised Brock she'd talk to him, but she didn't know what to say or even how to say it. It was something that weighed heavily on her mind.

"Hello, Earth to Dawn." She was snapped back to reality when Ash waved his hand in front of her face.

"Huh, wha?"

"You were spacing out there for a bit," he told her. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah, everything's just fine!" she lied, putting on her best smile.

"Oh… well that's good. Then as soon as Brock gets back we can hit the road again," Ash announced. Dawn inwardly groaned for not telling Ash what she had to right then, and now with him ready to leave as soon as Brock returned she realized time was running out. With that in mind she gathered up her courage and spoke.

"Actually, there's something I have to tell you."

"Go ahead," Ash said, giving her his full attention. Looking at his face Dawn knew he wouldn't like what she had to say, but regardless of that she went through with her promise to Brock.

"I don't know how else to tell you this but… I've decided to travel with Paul for a bit." The look on Ash's face was unreadable. There were so many emotions present. Shock… disbelief… anger… all that and more.

"What do you… are you… this has to be a joke or something!" Ash stuttered.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't like the idea," Dawn said.

"You're darn right I don't! Why would you want to travel with a jerk like him?!" Ash questioned.

"I'll admit that Paul does tend to rub people the wrong way, but I really think I can learn to be a better trainer if I travel with him. Maybe I'll learn something along the way," Dawn explained.

"Like what, how to be a jerk to everyone you meet?!" Ash spat. Now Dawn was starting to get annoyed.

"Okay Ash. I understand that you're still upset about losing to him in the finals, but that doesn't mean I have to sit here and put up with your attitude," she scolded.

"You expect me to be okay with this?!" Ash argued.

"I expect you to be happy with my decision," Dawn replied, a bit of attitude lacing her voice.

"Be happy that you want to travel with Paul?! That's not going to happen!" Ash yelled.

"You can be so stubborn, Ash Ketchum!" Dawn yelled.

"Why do you want to travel with him anyway?!" Ash questioned.

"Because I want to get stronger!" Dawn answered.

"And what makes him a better teacher than me?!" Ash asked.

"He always beats you!" That last comment really hit Ash where it hurt. He stopped his arguing immediately, but Dawn kept on going.

"You've tried time and time and time again, but each time he's beat you! First at Professor Rowan's lab, then in Stantler's Forest, then again at Lake Acuity and now at the Sinnoh League!" Dawn continued. "Face it, Ash! Paul is the better trainer!" Ash stood there stunned, as did Pikachu. Neither of them could believe that this was the same young coordinator they met back in Twinleaf Town over a year ago.

"Well, I did what I came to do. I told you what I wanted, so now I'm leaving," she announced. Without waiting for Ash to reply Dawn turned and walked out of the Pokémon Center. As soon as the electronic doors slid closed Ash walked over to his seat and sat back down. Pikachu leaned over to try and look at his trainer's face.

"(Ash?)" he called.

"I never would have expected to hear that, not out of Dawn at least," he said, barely above a whisper. "I guess that's what makes this hurt so much."

"Makes what hurt?" Ash looked up and saw that Brock had recovered and made his way back to the Pokémon Center.

"I didn't know you made it back," he said.

"I just got back," Brock told him. "I passed Dawn when I came in. Did she say anything to you?"

"She had something to say alright," Ash replied. He spent the next few minutes telling Brock what he and Dawn had said, finishing with Dawn's harsh closing words.

"Wow… I never would have expected those words coming out of her mouth," Brock said.

"Neither did I," Ash added. "Do you… think I was out of line? I mean… I just don't want her to do something she'll regret later."

"I'll admit that you may have come on a bit strong, but your intentions were good," Brock told him.

"Thanks. I just wish Dawn would have seen it that way," Ash admitted. Ash was still feeling down about what happened between him and Dawn, making what he heard next even more unbelievable.

"Listen Ash… I want to let you know I'm staying in Sinnoh a bit longer," Brock announced.

"You're staying?" Ash questioned, making sure he heard right.

"Yeah, I am," Brock repeated. "During our journey I realized that there's so much I still need to learn if I'm to become a top breeder. For that reason I want to stay here a bit longer and learn as much as I can. You understand, right?" After his argument with Dawn Ash was shocked even further by Brock's decision to remain in Sinnoh. However he told himself he wouldn't make the same mistake he made with Dawn.

"I… I understand," he said.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in all at once," Brock admitted. "Truthfully I hoped to tell you this under better circumstances."

"It's okay, Brock. You have your dreams just like I have mine," Ash said. "We've both got to do what we feel we have to in order to achieve our dreams." Brock could tell Ash was hurting, but he was glad to see Ash taking it as well as he was. The two long time friends shared one last handshake.

"Take care of yourself, pal," Ash said.

"You too," Brock said.

"(We'll miss you, Brock,)" Pikachu said.

"I'll miss you guys too," he replied. With their farewells said Brock walked out of the Pokémon Center to pursue his dream. At that moment Ash realized he was now on his own.

"Well, I guess we should head on over to the port," Ash sighed.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu agreed. With their business concluded trainer and Pokémon left the Center on their way to the port.

* * *

An hour later Ash and Pikachu found themselves on the last ship leaving the Sinnoh League. The ship would take them to Sunyshore City where they planned to catch the first ship to Kanto. As the ship sailed south towards the Sinnoh mainland Ash's mind was on the events that recently took place. In the span of an hour he had lost the biggest battle of his life as well as two of his friends. All in all it had been a disastrous time.

"I'll be glad to get back home to Pallet Town and just forget all this ever happened," Ash said.

"(Do you think Dawn will be okay with Paul?)" Pikachu asked. Ash looked at him, a look of concern on his face.

"I don't know," Ash answered. "All we can do is hope she will."

* * *

Back on shore Paul was deciding where to go next. Dawn sat on a rock nearby, waiting for his decision. The sound of a horn in the distance drew her attention out to sea where she saw a ship leaving the port. Somehow, through some unexplainable feeling, she knew Ash was on that ship, and that she'd probably never see him again.

"Ash…" she murmured.

"Having seconds thoughts?" Paul asked, glancing back to look at her. Dawn turned to him, a stern look on her face.

"No," she answered. "I want to learn from the best, and right now that's you." Paul turned back around, his facial expression never changing.

"And don't you forget it," he warned. Then, without warning, he started to walk away.

"Let's go," he called.

"Right behind you," Dawn replied. Like a lost soul looking for guidance she got up and followed Paul, his destination still not known.

* * *

Days later Ash and Pikachu arrived in Sunyshore City and, after a short stay, got on a ship heading for Cerulean City. The trip would take close to a month, much longer than Ash would have hoped.

"(Try to look on the bright side, Ash. We'll be back home in Kanto in about a month's time,)" Pikachu said, trying to lift Ash's spirits.

"Yeah," Ash replied, though in his mind he wished it was sooner than that. To him this would be the longest, loneliest boat trip he would ever take.

* * *

Things for Ash went from bad to worse. After losing to Paul in the Sinnoh finals he experienced a harsh falling out with Dawn, followed by the hard task of saying goodbye to Brock. Now he and Pikachu are left to travel back to Kanto alone. What will they do now? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	2. Back Home Again

**Chapter 2: Back Home Again**

"Look, Pikachu! I can see Cerulean City!" Ash and Pikachu looked out over the bow of the ship, watching Cerulean City grow closer and closer. It had been close to a month since Ash's defeat at the Sinnoh League and his separation from Brock and Dawn, and thankfully with each moment he moved closer to his home region of Kanto the better his mood got. Now, with Cerulean City mere minutes away, it appeared as though the old Ash had returned.

"(It's good to have the old you back,)" Pikachu said.

"You can say that again, buddy," Ash agreed. "And it's also great to be back home again."

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu said. "(So what's first on the agenda?)"

"Well, first I want to stop off at the Pokémon Center so I can transport my Sinnoh team to Professor Oak's," Ash answered. "Then I figured we'd pay a visit to Misty at the Cerulean Gym."

"(Good idea. I'm sure Misty would enjoy the company)" Pikachu commented. By this time the ship had docked and all passengers were disembarking.

"Well, let's get going," Ash said. With Pikachu on his shoulder Ash disembarked from the ship on his way to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

The Pokémon Center was s short walk from the docks, not even five minutes away. When he and Pikachu arrive they found an unoccupied videophone and called Professor Oak.

"Good to hear from you, my boy," he greeted cheerfully before his voice became somewhat somber. "I'm sorry you lost in the Sinnoh Championship. Everyone was pulling for you."

"I really wish I would have won, but sitting around moping about it wouldn't have done any good," Ash said.

"At least you have the right mindset," Oak commented. "So, did you just call to let me know you were back in Kanto?"

"Actually I wanted to let you know I'll be sending my team from Sinnoh there so they can meet my other Pokémon," Ash answered. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

"Of course not. I'd be glad to get them acquainted with the others," Oak told him.

"Great! I'll send them over right away." One by one Ash placed his Poké Balls into the nearby transporter, sending them to Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town. When he was done the only Pokémon he had with him was Pikachu.

"I've received them all," Oak said.

"That's good," Ash replied. "I'll be on my way back home soon."

"We'll be waiting," Oak said. Ash ended the called and headed for the front door.

"But first let's stop by the Gym and pay Misty a visit," he said.

"(Yay!)" Pikachu cheered. Ash smiled and reached up to scratch Pikachu behind his ears as the two of them headed towards the Gym.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu arrived at the Gym shortly after leaving the Pokémon Center, though they weren't anticipating what they found. The front doors were locked and there appeared to be no one inside.

"That's strange… I wonder why the Gym is closed," Ash said.

"(Good question,)" Pikachu added. While they wondered why the Gym was closed a passerby walked by and saw them standing there.

"You looking for the Gym Leader?" he asked.

"Yeah. You know where she is?" Ash questioned.

"Last I heard she was on vacation. She'll be back in a few weeks," he answered.

"A few weeks, huh. And I was really looking forward to seeing her again," Ash commented. He thanked the passerby and headed for the city limits.

"(Guess we'll have to catch Misty another time,)" Pikachu sighed.

"Guess so, though I wonder why her sisters weren't there," Ash pointed out.

"(Good point. One of her sisters should have been there running the Gym until Misty got back from vacation,)" Pikachu said.

"Well we're not going to find out anything just standing around thinking. I suggest we head back to Pallet Town and see if Professor Oak or my mom has heard from her," Ash suggested. Pikachu agreed as the two of them headed out of town.

* * *

Over the next few weeks Ash and Pikachu made their way towards Pallet Town. With each familiar location they passed through fond memories of previous adventures filled their minds.

"Hey, remember the last time we were here?" Ash asked as they passed through Viridian City. "We ended up battling Agatha of the Elite 4 at the Viridian City Gym."

"(Of course we didn't know it was her until after the battle,)" Pikachu pointed out. "(Still, I am impressed with how well we did.)"

"So am I," Ash agreed. After recalling that memory the duo continued south on their way to Pallet Town. So far things had been going good… maybe even too good.

"(Do you think it's weird that we haven't encountered Team Rocket since we came back?)" Pikachu asked.

"It is a bit strange that they haven't tried to steal you lately," Ash said. "Maybe they don't know we're back?"

"(Perhaps,)" Pikachu said.

"In any case let's not think about those three," Ash told him. "We're just about home and so far things have been going smoothly, so let's just enjoy th… AH!" He was interrupted mid-sentence by a long fall into a deep hole.

"Looks like… we spoke too soon," he groaned. While they attempted to regain their bearings a long arm with a rubber hand reached in and grabbed Pikachu, lifting the Mouse Pokémon out of the hole.

"(Ash!)" he cried.

"Pikachu, no!" Ash yelled. Shortly after sinister laughing filled the air.

"Seems we have the upper hand!" a female voice declared. Ash looked up and saw a Meowth-shaped balloon floating overhead.

"Come on… not you three!" he groaned.

"Listen! Is that a disbelieving twerp I hear?!

His complaints come across loud and clear!

On the winds!

Past the stars!

In your ears!

We bring chaos at a break-neck pace!

Dashing all hope, putting fear in its place!

A rose by any other name's just as sweet!

When everything's worse our work is complete!

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Putting you do-gooders in your place!

Team Rocket!

In your face!

Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime!

"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted.

"You were expecting someone else?" Jessie taunted. By now they had Pikachu contained in a small capsule.

"Give Pikachu back now!" he demanded.

"You really expect us to give up our prize after the back-breaking hours we spent digging that hole you're in? I don't think so," James said.

"Then I guess we'll have to do this the hard way!" Ash shouted. "Pikachu, break free with Thunderbolt!"

"(You got it!)" Pikachu replied. After a quick charge he unleashed a massive Thunderbolt, but the capsule did not break. Team Rocket laughed at his efforts.

"(What the?!)" he yelled.

"Come on! You think after chasing you around for all these years you'd know that we'd come prepared for Pikachu's Electric attacks!" Meowth commented.

"Well let's see how you handle… oh no!" Right then Ash remembered that he didn't have any other Pokémon with him.

"What's this? The twerp coming unprepared?" Jessie questioned.

"That's not very twerp-like," James commented.

"Hey! Let's do less talking and more escaping!" Meowth said.

"What's the rush? Without his Pokémon there's no way he can stop us," Jessie pointed out.

"But you guys…"

"Please Meowth, let us enjoy this moment," James said. "There were so many times where we were on the receiving end of a Thunderbolt blast-off that it feels good to gloat whenever we get the chance."

"Team Rocket!" Looking down the evil trio saw that Ash had somehow made his way out of the hole they had dug and was now glaring up at them.

"You're persistent if nothing else," Jessie commented.

"Let Pikachu go now!" he demanded again. They laughed at his seemingly empty threats.

"Give it up, twerp," Meowth said. "Pikachu's the only Pokémon you've got with you, and he's with us now. Face it, you can't do anything to stop us."

"But I can! Hydro Pump!" Before anyone could determine where the new voice was coming from Team Rocket's balloon was blasted by a powerful Hydro Pump. The balloon exploded, causing Pikachu's capsule to fall and Team Rocket to go sailing through the sky.

"I told you we should have got going when the getting was good!" Meowth shouted.

"Oh would you shut your big fat mouth!" Jessie yelled. "How were we supposed to know he had back-up?!"

"Just who did attack us?" James asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Meowth complained.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried, vanishing in the distance.

"(Ash!)" Pikachu cried as the capsule containing him plummeted towards the ground.

"I'm coming, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. He broke out in a dead sprint, trying to catch Pikachu before he hit the ground. It was a race between him and gravity, with Pikachu being the prize. Pikachu's capsule was falling faster than Ash could run, meaning that if he didn't pick up the pace he wouldn't make it in time.

"Have to… go… faster!" Ash said. With a final burst of speed he lunged forward and reached out, catching Pikachu's capsule right before it hit the ground. With a sigh of relief he opened the capsule and freed his trapped Pokémon.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" he asked worriedly.

"(I am now,)" Pikachu said. Ash was relieved that Pikachu was unharmed, and now that the danger had passed he wanted to thank whoever it was that sent Team Rocket packing. With Pikachu in his arms he stood and turned towards the direction the attack came from.

"Hey, thanks for…" To his and Pikachu's surprise, standing there with a Marill by her side was the one person they were hoping to see and the last person they expected to find.

"(Misty!)" Pikachu cheered. The Mouse Pokémon jumped out of his trainer's arms and sprinted towards the Cerulean City native, leaping into her arms.

"Hi, Pikachu!" she cooed. Pikachu let out a few content sighs as he nuzzled into her arms.

"Same old Pikachu," she giggled.

"Hey Misty," Ash greeted. "I wasn't expecting to see you out here."

"It's a good thing I was here, though. It looked like Team Rocket was finally about to get away with Pikachu," she commented. "Why didn't you use your other Pokémon?"

"I sent them to Professor Oak's back when we were in Cerulean City," Ash told her.

"That would explain it," Misty said.

"That reminds me, why was the Gym closed? I figured you'd have your sisters there running it while you were gone," Ash questioned. Misty looked at him, a slight smirk on her face.

"They have nothing to do with the Gym anymore," she said.

"They don't?" Ash asked, a bit surprised.

"Nope. You are now looking at the sole Gym Leader for Cerulean City," Misty announced, beaming with pride.

"That's great! Congratulations!" Ash said. "How did you convince your sisters to leave the Gym?"

"I just told them if they weren't going to focus on being Gym Leaders then they needed to just leave the Gym to someone who would. After that one thing lead to another and I ended up with sole possession of the Gym," Misty explained.

"And they just gave you the Gym? Just like that?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. It surprised me too, but then again they never were too concerned with their duties as Gym Leaders. All they wanted was a place to hold their water shows," Misty said.

"At least with you in charge the Gym will gain a reputation for what it's supposed to be… a Pokémon Gym," Ash commented.

"Yeah, and with as strong as my Pokémon are it'll be a tough win for anyone," Misty bragged.

"Speaking of your Pokémon I don't recall you ever having a Marill," Ash said. "Is she…"

"You guessed it. She's the Azurill that you met when you two came back from Hoenn," Misty said. "I've been training her a little each day until she finally evolved."

"(It was a tough road, but in the end it was worth it,)" Marill said.

"She may be small and cute, but don't let her looks fool you. She's one of my main powerhouse Pokémon," Misty warned.

"Something Team Rocket found out the hard way," Ash joked. The four of them had a good laugh before deciding to finish their conversation at the Ketchum house in Pallet Town.

"So how much time do you have for vacation?" Ash asked.

"I've still got a few weeks before I go back," Misty replied.

"Where are the rest of your Pokémon?" Ash asked.

"At the Gym. Marill's the only one I brought with me," Misty told him.

"(And judging by the way she handled Team Rocket she's the only one you need,)" Pikachu commented. "(Seriously, I couldn't have done it better myself.)"

"(Coming from someone who deals with them constantly I'll take that as a compliment,)" Marill said. While she and Pikachu were in conversation Ash and Misty were engaged in a conversation of their own.

"It's good to see you doing so well," Ash said.

"Thanks, though I wish I could say the same for you," Misty admitted. Ash knew exactly what she was talking about.

"So… you heard about that, huh," he said. Misty shook her head.

"I'd watch whenever I had some free time," she corrected.

"Oh," Ash said.

"I really thought you had him the way things started off, but after Infernape took down his Weavile it was almost as if he hit another gear," Misty commented.

"Well, Weavile was always one of his… I don't want to say weaker Pokémon, but he is the one who gets defeated the most," Ash said.

"Speaking of his Pokémon does he always push them that hard? I know every trainer wants to get the most out of their Pokémon but he's really pushing the line," Misty said.

"Paul doesn't care. He always pushes his Pokémon as far as they can go, and then he pushes them even further," Ash explained.

"Sounds a bit harsh to me," Misty commented.

"That's never bothered him," Ash said. "Unfortunately that's not the worst of it."

"I seriously can't see how it can get any worse than that," Misty commented. Ash then proceeded to tell Misty about his argument with Dawn where the coordinator basically told him that she was going to travel with Paul because he was better than Ash.

"How… How could she say those things?! I mean just because you lost that doesn't give her the right to say you're not good enough!" Misty yelled. "I can just imagine how hurt you were."

"I was, but it was more because she was the one saying those things," Ash admitted.

"Well, what did Brock have to say? Come to think of it… where is Brock?" Misty asked, just now noticing that the slit-eyed breeder wasn't among them.

"He stayed in Sinnoh to learn more about breeding," Ash told her.

"And you just left him there? You didn't think about all the Nurse Joy's, Officer Jenny's or any of the other girls in Sinnoh he'll be tormenting looking for a date?" Misty questioned.

"He still has Croagunk," Ash pointed out. Misty paused for a bit.

"Good point," she admitted.

"(Hey! I can see Pallet Town!)" Pikachu shouted. He and Marill were standing at the top of a small hill. Ash and Misty quickly caught up to their Pokémon and looked over, staring down at the small town Ash called home.

"After being on the road for so long it feels great to come back home," he said.

"I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I first came back to Cerulean City after Johto," Misty admitted. They looked down at the small town for a bit longer before Ash was ready to continue.

"Come on. I'm sure my mom's ready to have me back home," he said. The two trainers and their Pokémon continued down the hill towards Pallet Town, where a bit of R&R awaited them.

* * *

After an unexpected encounter with Team Rocket and a subsequent reunion with Misty Ash and Pikachu find themselves mere minutes away from Pallet Town. What awaits them there? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	3. The Call of Adventure

Before the start of the chapter I have an announcement. While I appreciate the suggestions some of you have made for this story I'd appreciate it even more if you would send me those suggestions using either PMs or e-mail. Leaving them as reviews just clutters things up, so from now on keep that in mind. Thank you.

**Chapter 3: The Call of Adventure**

Pallet Town hadn't changed in the seven years since Ash first started his Pokémon journey, and yet that didn't matter to him one bit. Each return home was just as welcome as the previous.

"So, how long was this one?" Misty asked. Ash brought a hand to his chin.

"Let me think… this one was about a year and a half," he guessed.

"That would make this one of your longer ones, wouldn't it," Misty commented.

"It does," Ash agreed. "Of course looking back it didn't really seem that long."

"You know what they say… 'Time flies when you're having fun'," Misty quoted.

"That it does," Ash agreed. A sudden outburst from Pikachu and Marill brought their attention to a house they were approaching. Looking at the house Ash smiled.

"It's good to be back home again," he commented. As they approached the Ketchum house the smell of food began to fill the air, something that didn't go unnoticed by Ash. In fact the closer they got the faster Ash seemed to walk.

"Can't wait to get home, can you," Misty joked.

"What do you think?" Ash asked.

"I think you're thinking with your stomach again," she told him.

"What can I say… there's nothing like a good, home cooked meal," Ash admitted. Misty just sighed and shook her head as she watched Ash and Pikachu arrive well ahead of her and Marill.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," she said. The eager duo thankfully waited for her and Marill to catch up before entering the house.

"Mom, we're home!" Ash announced.

"(Hello!)" Pikachu called. Moments later Ash mother Delia walked in from the kitchen.

"Welcome home, sweetie," she greeted. She then pulled Ash into a motherly hug, which Ash was more than eager to return.

"I missed you," she told him.

"I missed you too, Mom," Ash said.

"(Don't forget about me!)" Pikachu called. Delia scooped him up in her arms and hugged him.

"I could never forget about you, Pikachu," she cooed. After showering Ash and Pikachu with affection she looked up and saw Misty.

"I didn't know you were coming, Misty," she said.

"I didn't know I would be either," Misty admitted. "I was in the forest north of Pallet Town when I ran into Ash and we just decided to hang out. I hope that won't be a problem."

"Of course not, dear," Delia exclaimed. "In fact I just finished preparing a feast for Ash's return. Would you like to join us?"

"I'd love to," Misty said with a smile.

"Alright, let's eat!" Ash cheered. In the blink of an eye he had made his way to the kitchen.

"That's my Ash," Delia laughed before she and Misty went to join Ash in the kitchen.

* * *

After eating their fill at the Ketchum home Ash and Misty decided to head to Professor Oak's lab to check in on Ash's Pokémon. With Pikachu and Marill walking ahead of them the two trainers took this time to share stories of their recent exploits.

"… so the kid comes at my Gyarados with an Ariados of all things! Can you believe that?!" Misty complained as she told Ash about one of her recent Gym battles.

"You think he knew about your dislike of Bug Pokémon?" Ash questioned.

"I don't know, but one Flamethrower took care of that thing," she spat. "Thankfully that was his last Pokémon. I swear if he would have come at me with another Bug type I don't know what I would have done."

"It would have been funny to find out," Ash joked.

"You know, Ash, I still have my mallet," Misty warned. Suddenly Ash didn't find Misty's phobia of Bug Pokémon that humorous. Thankfully Professor Oak's lab was in sight, and with it came a change of focus.

"I can't wait to see all my Pokémon again," Ash said.

"I'm sure they feel the same way," Misty added. With the lab so close they picked up the pace, reaching the front door a few minutes later. Ash knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer.

"Coming!" someone said from the other side. Seconds later the door opened, revealing their friend from the Orange Islands, and Professor Oak's assistant.

"Welcome back, Ash! Hi, Misty! It's great to see you again!" Tracey greeted.

"It's great to see you too, Tracey," Misty replied.

"Is Professor Oak around?" Ash asked.

"He's in the fields checking on the Pokémon," Tracey answered. "He wanted me to let you know that the Pokémon you sent over are getting along with everyone else."

"That's good. I don't know what I'd do if there were problems between my Pokémon," Ash admitted.

"If you want I can let the Professor know you're here," Tracey offered.

"No thanks. We were about to head back there ourselves," Ash informed him.

"Mind if I join you?" Tracey inquired.

"Not at all," Ash said. The three trainers and two Pokémon walked out back where the fields that held all the Pokémon Professor Oak looked after were. Almost immediately Ash spotted which Pokémon were his.

"You were right. They are all getting along," Ash said. His Sinnoh team was getting along very well with the rest of his Pokémon. Torterra and Infernape were speaking with Bulbasaur, one of Ash's oldest Pokémon. Staraptor was perched on a tree resting alongside Swellow and Noctowl. Buizel was sparring with Sceptile, and surprisingly holding his own. Even Gible was enjoying himself as he played with Ash's most playful Pokémon Totodile. As they looked over all the Pokémon one was noticeably missing.

"Hey Ash, where's…"

"(Ash! You're back!)" Before Misty could finish her question Ash was tackled to the ground by an very excited Bayleef.

"(Oh Ash, I missed you so much!)" she cried, nuzzling her head against him.

"I missed you too, Bayleef… but could you please get off me," he groaned. Realizing she was crushing him Bayleef stepped off Ash so he could get back to his feet.

"Just be glad she's not a Meganium," Misty joked as Ash got to his feet.

"You're telling me, but I know Bayleef would never do anything to hurt me, right?" Ash retorted.

"(Of course not. I'd never try to hurt you,)" Bayleef swore.

"Say, Bayleef… you wouldn't happen to know where Professor Oak is, would you?" Ash questioned.

"(I think I saw him with…)"

"Ack! Muk, get off!" It didn't take a genius to figure out who that was. Following the distressed voice the trainers found the good professor being smothered by Ash's over-affectionate Poison type.

"And Muk strikes again," Tracey sighed. Upon hearing his voice Professor Oak looked up and saw the trio.

"Ash, thank goodness you're here! Could you please get your Muk off me!" he begged.

"Muk, let the Professor up," Ash politely instructed. Muk smiled and, with an obedient grunt, removed his large bulk from atop the Professor, allowing him to get up.

"Thank you. If you hadn't shown up I didn't know how I was going to get Muk off me," he graciously said.

"That's Muk for you. He's never been shy about showing his affection," Ash admitted.

"(That he has not,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Well, that little mishap aside all of your Pokémon are doing exceptionally well, Ash," Professor Oak reported. "I'm mostly impressed with the condition of the team you caught in Sinnoh."

"They were all amazing while I was in Sinnoh," Ash bragged. "I just wished we could have won the Sinnoh Championship."

"We all did," Tracey said. "None of us believed that Paul had a chance against you."

"I just don't get it. I faced him countless times in the Sinnoh region and every time he managed to beat me. No matter what I did or what training methods I used he was always stronger," Ash groaned. "What is his secret? How can his Pokémon be so strong?"

"I hate to say it, but maybe it's the way he trains his Pokémon," Misty suggested. "It may be harsh in your opinion but it obviously works for him." Ash didn't want to admit it but Misty was right. Even if Ash didn't agree with Paul's training methods in the end his Pokémon were stronger because of it. But that didn't mean he had to accept the fact that Paul would always be stronger than him.

"My Pokémon are just as strong, and I'm going to prove it!" Ash declared.

"That's a bold declaration. How do you plan on proving that?" Tracey asked.

"I… I don't know," Ash admitted.

"Perhaps I can help you with that," Professor Oak announced.

"How?" Tracey inquired.

"It just so happens that I recently spoke with an old colleague of mine from my days as a Pokémon trainer. Her name is Lydia Redwood, a Pokémon Professor in the Legenda region," Professor Oak explained.

"The Legenda region? Where's that?" Ash asked.

"It's a region southeast of Sinnoh, and from what Professor Redwood told me the League there is much different and far more difficult than anywhere else," he explained.

"Just how difficult is it?" Tracey inquired.

"I don't know. Lydia didn't go into any details," Professor Oak told him. While listening Misty glanced at Ash. There was a look in his eyes, a look Misty knew all too well.

"I know that look. You're thinking about going to the Legenda region and competing in the League there," she guessed.

"You know me too well," Ash commented.

"(Alright! A new adventure!)" Pikachu cheered.

"I had a feeling you'd want to go once you heard about it," Professor Oak said. "That's why I took the liberty of finding out what ships leave for the Legenda region."

"What did you find?" Ash asked.

"There are a few heading there, but the closest one is currently docked in Cerulean City," Professor Oak reported. "I can acquire a ticket for you by tomorrow and you can leave then."

"Great. Thanks, Professor," Ash said. "Look out, Legenda! We're coming to win!" Pikachu echoed his trainer's enthusiasm.

"So I take it you two will be heading out first thing in the morning?" Tracey guessed. Ash didn't immediately answer, taking a bit of time to think on the subject.

"Something wrong, Ash?" Tracey asked.

"I was just thinking about what you said… and I've decided to bring some of my other Pokémon with me," he answered.

"That's certainly a change. Normally you'd want to start off with just Pikachu. Why the sudden change?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Well, I thought about it and realized that I wasn't being fair to all the Pokémon I've caught over the years. They've all battled so hard for me… for each other… and whenever I go to a new region I just leave them behind. That's not fair to them," Ash explained. "That's why for this region I'm not going to just use Pokémon I catch there. I'm going to use all of my Pokémon, new and old."

"That's good. I'm sure your Pokémon will be happy with your decision," Professor Oak commended. "So, who are you bringing?" Ash paused to think again before answering.

"Firstly I want to bring Gible with me. I hadn't had him for that long and I want to train him a bit more," Ash decided. "Secondly I want to bring a good Fire type, so Cyndaquil's coming along too. Finally I'm bringing Bayleef as a strong Grass type."

"So you're just bringing four?" Tracey asked.

"Yeah. I want to leave some room for any new Pokémon I Catch along the way," Ash explained.

"In that case I'll have them ready to leave in the morning," Professor Oak said.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash said.

"Say Ash, you wouldn't mind if I tagged along, would you?" Misty asked. "At least until we get to Cerulean City, that is."

"You're heading back already?" Tracey inquired.

"Yeah. I got a call from Nurse Joy and she said some of the Pokémon are starting to get a bit restless without me there," Misty explained. "So, did you mind, Ash?"

"Of course not. It'll be like old times," Ash told her. She smiled, showing her gratitude for allowing her to travel with him.

"Seeing the two of you traveling together again really takes me back," Professor Oak reminisced.

"I know… reminds me of when I first started. Back then it was just me, Misty and our Pokémon," Ash agreed.

"Let's just hope we don't get lost like we used to," Misty joked.

"Hey, I'm better at finding my way than I used to be," Ash bragged.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Misty commented.

"In any case I'm sure you two want to be well rested for your trip tomorrow. Might I suggest taking it easy for the rest of the day," Professor Oak said. The two agreed and, after saying their goodbyes to Tracey and Professor Oak, made their way back to the Ketchum house.

* * *

That night Ash could hardly sleep, thoughts of what awaited him in the Legenda region filling his mind. He sat up in his bed and stared out the window. Tomorrow he'd start off on a new journey, filled with unknown challenges. It was enough to make him wish he could fast-forward time.

"I can't wait for tomorrow to get here," he excitedly said.

"(Too excited to sleep, huh.)" Ash looked down towards the foot of his bed and saw Pikachu staring back at him.

"Sorry if I woke you up," Ash apologized.

"(No need. I couldn't sleep either,)" Pikachu admitted.

"Thinking about tomorrow like me?" Ash questioned.

"(Yup,)" Pikachu answered. "(What do you think we'll find there?)"

"I don't know, but that's what makes it so exciting. Going off into the unknown without knowing what lies around the corner," Ash said.

"(You got that right,)" Pikachu agreed.

"But… if we're going to be ready for tomorrow we've got to get some sleep," Ash suggested. As soon as he said that Pikachu let out a yawn, curled up and laid back down.

"(Goodnight… Ash…)" he yawned before falling back to sleep. Ash reached over and gentle stroked Pikachu's fur.

"Goodnight, buddy," he whispered. Seconds later a yawn escaped his mouth. With sleep slowly taking over Ash laid his head back down and drifted off to sleep himself.

* * *

Morning came, and with it the anticipation of a new journey. Everyone had gathered in front of Professor Oak's lab in preparation for Ash and Misty's departure. Ash, his mom, Misty, Professor Oak and Tracey were all standing on front of the lab, and standing with them were the Pokémon Ash was bringing with him.

"Okay, you guys ready to hit the road?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah! I love traveling!)" Bayleef cheered.

"(Sure, I'm up for it,)" Cyndaquil said, though not as excitedly as Bayleef.

"(Yeah, yeah! Let's go!)" Gible cheered, clearly the most excited of the three. With his team eager to get going he recalled the three of them. Pikachu then jumped onto his usual spot on Ash's shoulder just as Misty was picking up Marill.

"Looks like we're ready," he announced.

"I'll call Professor Redwood and let her know you're coming," Professor Oak said.

"Thanks," Ash said. His mother then approached him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you," she said.

"I'll miss you too, Mom," Ash told her ad he hugged her. Eventually they ended their hug.

"Watch after him for me, Pikachu," Delia instructed.

"(Yes ma'am,)" Pikachu replied.

"Now Ash, the ship you'll be departing on will dock at the port in Pinegrove Town in the Legenda region. Professor Redwood's lab will be just outside of town," Professor Oak explained. "Remember, she'll be expecting you so head straight there once you arrive."

"Okay," Ash said.

"Take care of yourself," Delia said. "And remember to change your…"

"Mom!" Ash whined, knowing what was coming next. This got a laugh out of everyone except Ash.

"I think we should get going, if only to spare Ash any more embarrassment," Misty joked. The trainer in question quickly agreed as the two of them started down the road leading out of Pallet Town.

"So long, everyone!" Ash called.

"(Bye-bye!)" Pikachu shouted.

"Goodbye!" Misty shouted.

"So long, guys!" Tracey called.

"Good luck in Legenda, Ash!" Professor Oak shouted.

"Make sure to call when you get to Pinegrove Town!" Delia instructed.

"I will, Mom!" Ash said. With their farewells said Ash, Misty and their Pokémon continued on out of Pallet Town on their way to Cerulean City, where Ash would embark on his latest journey.

* * *

Ash didn't stay in Pallet Town very long before the call of a new adventure put him on the road again. With a new region in his future how will Ash fare? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	4. On Friendly Wings

**Chapter 4: On Friendly Wings**

With a new region calling him Ash set off from Pallet Town, his faithful Pokémon Pikachu and close friend Misty by his side. Though it had only been about 10 minutes since they left Pallet Town things were going very smoothly, giving Ash and Misty a chance to reminisce about their early days.

"Remember when we first got to Viridian City?" Misty asked.

Yeah. We ended up battling Team Rocket inside the Pokémon Center and Pikachu's Thundershock ignited Koffing's poison gas and caused an explosion that destroyed the Center," Ash said. "That seems like it happened a lifetime ago."

"It does, but it's only been a few years," Misty commented. "I wonder what all's changed."

"The only thing I know that's changed is the Gym Leader," Ash commented. "The last time I visited the Viridian Gym Agatha of the Elite 4 was standing in until the new Gym Leader arrived."

"That was back before you challenged the Battle Frontier, right?" Misty inquired. The two of them carried on without a care in the world, all the while not noticing three pairs of eyes watching them from the shadows.

"Well what do you know? Red's back," Meowth pointed out.

"I have a feeling she was the one who caused our most recent blast off," James suspected.

"If you're right then she has a lot to answer to!" Jessie fumed. "So hurry up and get us our giant robot, Meowth!"

"And how do you suppose I do that?! In case you haven't realized yet we're running low in the cash department!" Meowth complained.

"Wh-What are you saying?!" Jessie asked.

"Thanks to your coordinator expenses our wallets are just about empty!" Meowth told her. "In fact if you'd put as much effort into catching Pikachu as you do in being a coordinator we'd have him by now!" This earned the Scratch Cat Pokémon a sharp stomp on the head courtesy of Jessie.

"I don't want excuses! I want a giant robot!" she shrieked. Before any more harm could come to the Pokémon member of the trio James spoke up.

"P-Perhaps there's another way," he suggested. Jessie stopped her assault on Meowth to listen to what James had to say.

"Go on," she urged.

"Well, that redhead is the Cerulean City Gym Leader, right? If she's here then there's no one at her Gym," James pointed out.

"So?" Jessie questioned.

"Why don't we steal the Pokémon from the Gym before she gets back," James suggested.

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Meowth said. Unfortunately Jessie didn't agree.

"I didn't chase this twerp around for all those years just to take the easy way out! I want Pikachu and I'm going to get Pikachu!" she declared.

"But Jessie…"

"No buts! Now hurry up and come up with a plan to snatch that Pikachu!" she demanded. The two of them each let out a defeated sigh as Jessie stormed off.

"Sometimes I wonder if this is all worth it," James mumbled.

"You're not the only one," Meowth added. They decided to do as Jessie had asked and come up with a plan, if only to avoid her wrath later.

* * *

Close to an hour had passed before Ash and Misty decided to stop for a short break. They found a small field to stop and have lunch. The mid-day sun blanketed everyone with its warming rays, giving the two of them a positive outlook on the road ahead.

"Today is just so perfect I can't think of anything that can ruin it," Ash commented.

"I know. I don't even think Team Rocket can ruin this day," Misty agreed.

"Better not speak too loud. They may be listening," Ash joked. While the two of them joked about Team Rocket Pikachu and Marill were running about chasing each other. Their game, and the peaceful day, was interrupted by a violent tremor that shook the ground.

"W-What's g-going o-on?!" Ash shouted. He got his answer when the ground exploded upwards, revealing a massive robot that looked a lot like a Golem with a red "R" on its stomach.

"What is that thing?!" Misty asked. Before she could get her answer the air was filled with evil laughter.

"Oh no… not them again," Ash whined.

"Listen! Is that a distressed twerp I hear?!

He whines to me loud and clear!

On the winds!

Past the stars!

In your ears!

We bring chaos at a break-neck pace!

Dashing all hope, putting fear in its place!

A rose by any other name's just as sweet!

When everything's worse our work is complete!

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Putting you do-gooders in your place!

Team Rocket!

In your face!

Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" everyone shouted.

"You were expecting someone else?" Jessie asked.

"What do you want this time?!" Ash yelled.

"What we want every time… Pikachu!" Jessie responded.

"Not a chance!" Ash declared.

"You don't have a choice in the matter!" Jessie countered. "Explain, Meowth."

"Our Go-Go Golem can take whatever Pikachu can throw at us without flinching!" Meowth bragged.

"Really?! I'd like to test that!" Ash declared. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" With a loud battle cry Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt on Team Rocket's machine, but just as Meowth had said the attack did nothing.

"What did we tell you! Pikachu's attacks are useless against us!" Jessie gloated. While she bragged Misty stepped up.

"You may be protected from Pikachu's attacks but not my Marill's! Water Gun!"

"(One Water Gun, coming up!)" the Aquamouse Pokémon shouted. She inhaled deeply and spewed a powerful stream of water at Team Rocket's machine.

"Oh no you don't! Wobbuffet, Mirror Coat!" On her command the Patient Pokémon in front of the incoming attack, his body giving off a white glow. The Water Gun struck him and bounced right back at Marill.

"Marill, look out!" Misty shouted. She tried to dodge, but there was no way she would get out of the way in time. Just as the reflected attack was about to hit Pikachu jumped in the way and hit it with an Iron Tail, effectively destroying the attack.

"(Thanks, Pikachu,)" Marill said. The Mouse Pokémon smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

"You may have saved your friend, but who's going to save you?!" Jessie yelled. "Do it, Meowth!"

"Activating grabber arm!" With a push of a button the robot's mouth opened and a rubber hand shot out, heading right for Pikachu. Fortunately Ash was one step ahead, grabbing a Poké Ball and throwing it out.

"Gible, Dragon Pulse!" The Poké Ball opened and Ash's Dragon type appeared, blasting the hand with Dragon Pulse. The light blue orb shattered the hand, infuriating Team Rocket.

"Hey! This thing ain't cheap, you know!" Meowth griped.

"Like I care!" Ash replied. "Gible, use Dig!" The Land Shark Pokémon ran towards the machine, diving into the ground a few feet in front of it.

"Where did he go?" James asked. Then, as if to answer his question, Gible popped out of the ground.

"(Here I am!)" he called.

"There he is! Grab him!" Jessie yelled. The massive robot reached for him, but Gible was much too fast and dug back underground.

"Now where did he go?!" Meowth yelled. Seconds later Gible appeared from a different spot.

"(Over here!)" he taunted.

"There!" Jessie shouted. Once again they tried to grab him and once again Gible dug back underground before they could.

"(This way!)" Miss.

"(Haha! Too slow!)" Miss.

"(Can't catch me!)" Miss. This went on for a few minutes, Gible constantly taunting Team Rocket before retreating underground.

"Would you hold still, you little runt!" Jessie shrieked. Meanwhile Misty was wondering if Ash had a plan.

"While I enjoy seeing Team Rocket get made fools of just what are you trying to do?" she asked.

"Just wait. You'll see," Ash replied. Gible popped out of the ground one last time and landed in front of Team Rocket's robot. Jessie glared down at the Land Shark Pokémon.

"I've had just about enough of your games!" she roared. "Now you're going to pay for making us look like fools!" She took control of the machine and took a step forward. As soon as the robot's foot hit the ground it fell through, the rest of the robot following soon after.

"Hey, what happened?!" Jessie yelled.

"I don't know!" James replied.

"Yes, it worked!" Ash cheered.

"What worked?" Misty asked, slightly confused.

"By having Gible constantly using Dig to tunnel underneath the robot the ground was weakened enough to cause it to cave-in under the robot's weight," Ash explained. To say Misty was impressed would have been an understatement.

"Amazing. Where did you…"

"Something I learned in my Gym battle against Byron," Ash said, knowing exactly what she was going to ask.

"Hurry up and get us out of this hole!" Jessie demanded.

"I'm trying but I can't get the controls to work right!" James whined.

"Why don't we let Gible help you out!" Ash suggested. "Draco Meteor!" The Land Shark Pokémon opened his mouth wide, an orange sphere the size of his mouth beginning to form.

"I think this is going to hurt!" Meowth screamed. Seconds later Gible spat out the orange sphere, sending it right at Team Rocket. The Draco Meteor struck the robot, detonating it instantly.

"I told you we should have went after the Gym's Pokémon!" James yelled.

"So I made a mistake! Sue me!" Jessie griped.

"I'll see you in court then!" Meowth chimed in. "As for now…"

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried, vanishing in the distance.

"There they go again," Misty commented.

"Yup," Ash agreed. "Good job, Gible."

"(Thanks!)" the Land Shark Pokémon said. With a smile Ash returned him to his Poké Ball. With Team Rocket gone the group prepared to head out again, but before they could Pikachu and Marill's ears perked up.

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"(There's someone else here,)" Pikachu warned. Ash and Misty began looking around, trying to see who, or what else was there with them.

"Can you see anything?" Misty asked.

"No," Ash said. "Where are they, Pikachu?" A few more twitches of his ears gave Pikachu the answer to Ash's question. He turned and looked back at Ash, a nervous look on his face.

"(… we're surrounded,)" he gulped.

"S-Surrounded?!" Ash stuttered. As soon as the word left his mouth the sky became filled with a flock of angry Pokémon.

"T-Those look like…"

"Spearow!" Ash shouted.

"(You think they're from the same flock from the day we first started off?)" Pikachu questioned.

"I don't know, but right now we have to find a way out of here!" Ash said.

"That's easier said than done!" Misty shrieked. Looking around they saw the Spearow had them completely surrounded, leaving them with no possible escape option.

"What do we do now?!" Misty asked.

"There's not much we can do outside of battling our way through them!" Ash answered. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"(You got it, Ash!)" Pikachu quickly unleashed a massive Thunderbolt, striking many of the Spearow. Unfortunately for every one he brought down two more took its place.

"Pikachu's going to need some help with this," Misty commented. "Marill, Ice Beam!" The small Water type added her Ice Beam to Pikachu's Thunderbolt in an attempt to take down as many Spearow as they could, but even with their combined attacks the Spearow still greatly outnumbered them. Within minutes both Pokémon were worn out.

"This isn't getting us anywhere. All we're doing is wiping our Pokémon out," Misty pointed out.

"I know, but right now we don't have any other options," Ash said. "We have to break through them somehow." Before they could come up with an alternative strategy one of the Spearow let out an angry squawk. At that moment the entire flock dove at them.

"Ash, use one of your other Pokémon!" Misty shouted. Realizing he had no other choice Ash reached for a Poké Ball.

"Okay, let's go…" Before he could throw the ball a second flock appeared, this one consisting of Pidgey and Pidgeotto.

"Oh man, now what?!" Misty groaned. It looked like they'd have to battle against two flocks of Pokémon, but to their surprise the Spearow flock stopped their attack and grouped together, glaring at the Pidgey and Pidgeotto.

"I don't think these guys like each other," Misty observed.

"You may be right," Ash agreed. While they watched the standoff between the two flocks a Pidgeot flew to the front of the Pidgey and Pidgeotto flock.

"(I thought I ordered you to cease your attacks on travelers!)" Pidgeot chirped.

"(You have no authority in our flock! You are not our leader!)" one of the Spearow squawked.

"(I have authority over this entire area! If I tell you to stop your attacks then you are to obey!)" the Bird Pokémon angrily said.

"(Your authority is only temporary! Our leader is the rightful ruler of these skies!)" the Spearow declared.

"(If he wishes to challenge me for that title then I shall gladly face him,)" Pidgeot responded. "(Tell him I will battle him whenever he wishes.)"

"(Then you will come to the clearing in the center of the forest in one hours time,)" the Spearow instructed. "(There, our leader will defeat you once and for all, and then we shall rule the skies once again!)" Then, with a chorus of loud squawks the Spearow all retreated. With the tense stand-off now over the Pidgey, Pidgeotto and Pidgeot landed. Ash, Misty and their Pokémon looked around in awe of the flock.

"Wow… to think they drove those Spearow off just by showing up," Misty said.

"I know," Ash agreed. "Thanks for helping us back there." The Pidgeot looked at them with a smile.

"(You're welcome… Ash.)" Ash was shocked to hear the Pidgeot speak his name.

"H-How do you know my name?" he gasped. The Bird Pokémon chuckled.

"(Come now. It may have been a few years but I doubt if you've forgotten me already,)" he chirped. It took a while for Ash to figure out what he was saying, but when he did a huge smile broke out on his face.

"No way! Pidgeot! It's you!" Overjoyed Ash ran up and hugged his old friend.

"It's been too long! How have you been?!" he exclaimed.

"(I've been very well, and it appears as though you have been doing well for yourself as well,)" Pidgeot observed.

"(Good to see you again, Pidgeot!)" Pikachu greeted.

"Hi, Pidgeot," Misty said.

"(Misty, Pikachu. I am glad to see you are well,)" Pidgeot said.

"So, what was with those Spearow? It seems like you've got a history with them," Ash commented.

"(That I do,)" Pidgeot sighed. "(You see, they belong to the flock that you helped me battle all those years ago.)"

"You mean the one lead by that Fearow?" Misty inquired.

"(I do,)" Pidgeot answered. "(When I defeated him he went into seclusion for a while. Lately though his flock have been attacking random travelers who wander into this area of the forest. I've tried to stop them but not even I can patrol the entire forest by myself.)"

"What about having your own flock go on patrol," Misty suggested.

"(Believe me, they help as much as they can, but even with my entire flock helping me his Spearow still manage to launch a few successful attacks,)" Pidgeot said. "(It's gotten to the point where I feel the only way to make him stop is to defeat him in battle once and for all.)"

"Like what that Spearow suggested?" Ash asked. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"(I appreciate the offer, but this is something I must do myself,)" he told them.

"Oh," Ash said, slightly disappointed. "Well, at least let us be there to give you some moral support."

"(I would appreciate that greatly,)" Pidgeot chirped.

"Alright then! Let's go!" Ash shouted as he began to walk off.

"Just a minute, Ash. Do you even know where the clearing is?" Misty questioned. That stopped Ash in his tracks, for he didn't know. He looked back towards them ,nervously laughing while scratching the back of his head.

"Oops… guess I got a bit carried away," he admitted.

"You tend to do that a lot," Misty sighed.

"(The more things change the more they stay the same, I supposed,)" Pidgeot sighed.

* * *

With Pidgeot guiding them they arrived at the clearing within the hour. It was quite a large clearing with many boulders dotting the landscape. Pidgeot landed on one of the boulders while Ash, Misty and their Pokémon stood nearby. The Pidgey and Pidgeotto took residence in the trees behind them. They all looked around for either the Fearow or Spearow, but there was no sign of them.

"You think we got here too soon?" Ash asked.

"(No. He's here,)" Pidgeot said.

"Are you sure?" Misty questioned.

"(Positive,)" Pidgeot replied.

"Okay. So then, where is he?" Ash wondered.

"(Right here!)" A massive shadow passed over head, and seconds later the Fearow Pidgeot was waiting for landed on the boulder in front of them.

"(I was wondering when you'd show your face,)" Pidgeot spat.

"(You doubted me? I have more honor than that,)" the Fearow countered.

"(Don't you dare speak of honor!)" Pidgeot demanded. "(How can you speak of having honor when you deliberately disobey my order to cease your attacks in this area?!)"

"(When I defeat you here and reclaim my position as ruler of these skies that will no longer be an issue,)" Fearow declared.

"(For once we agree on something. After today it will no longer be an issue, but not because you will defeat me, but because should you lose you and your flock must leave the forest,)" Pidgeot announced. Ash and Misty both gasped, neither of them expecting things to get this serious.

"This is getting real intense real fast," Misty commented.

"No kidding," Ash agreed. "Both sides have a lot to lose in this one."

"(Well, do you accept these conditions?)" Pidgeot asked.

"(Let me get this straight… if I win I rule the skies once again, but if I lose my flock and I must leave the forest. Am I understanding these terms correctly?)" the Fearow questioned.

"(You are,)" Pidgeot answered. "(Well, what is your answer?)"

"(Seems like if I do accept I'll have much more to lose than you,)" Fearow complained. "(Give me one good reason why I should accept?)"

"(Like you would pass up an opportunity to face me in battle,)" Pidgeot countered. "(Besides, you were the one who wanted to face me. I'm just upping the stakes.)" The Fearow smirked.

"(You are right about that. I wouldn't pass up a chance to fight you… and neither would my flock!)" He let out a loud squawk, and seconds later the Spearow flock from before appeared.

"What the?!" Ash shouted.

"He had this planned!" Misty yelled.

"(I should have known you'd pull something like this!)" Pidgeot accused.

"(Yes, you should have,)" Fearow taunted.

"(Good thing we did!)" From behind them the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto appeared, evening the sides. Looking back and forth between the two flocks Ash and Misty had a feeling this could get ugly in a hurry.

"Pikachu, Marill, stay ready. We don't know what could happen here," Ash instructed.

"(Right,)" Pikachu said. Both he and the Aquamouse Pokémon huddled in front of their trainers.

"(Do you still wish to fight me now that the sides are even, or will you turn tail and flee now that you no longer have the unfair advantage?)" Pidgeot asked. While it was true that he wanted to come into this battle with some kind of advantage he wasn't about to back off and let Pidgeot win that easily.

"(I'll defeat you, advantage or no!)" With a angry squawk the Fearow took flight and charged Pidgeot, his wings taking on a silver glow.

"He's using Steel Wing!" Ash pointed out. As Fearow close din Pidgeot remained motionless, almost as if he were waiting for something.

"What's Pidgeot waiting for?! If he doesn't attack Fearow's going to win!" Misty shouted. Despite her concerns Pidgeot still sat there waiting.

"(Don't plan on moving, do you?! You're making this too easy!)" Fearow squawked. Shortly after his attack hit, destroying the boulder Pidgeot was on and kicking up a thick dust cloud.

"No, Pidgeot!" Ash screamed. Misty gasped in shock while Pikachu and Marill stared in disbelief.

"(Haha, that was too easy!)" Fearow gloated. "(And to think I was actually expecting a… what?!)" Instead of seeing a defeated Pidgeot all that remained from Fearow's attack was a shattered boulder.

"(Where is he?!)" he squawked angrily.

"(Right here!)" Fearow turned to his left and Saw Pidgeot hovering a few feet away.

"(Why you…)"

"(Or am I here?!)" Turning around he saw yet another Pidgeot.

"(Or perhaps here?!)" Pretty soon Fearow found himself surrounded by countless Pidgeot.

"Is he using Double Team?" Misty asked.

"Yeah. I wonder when he learned that?" Ash questioned.

"(Come out of hiding, coward!)" Fearow demanded.

"(Coward?! Hah! That's a joke coming from someone who didn't even have the integrity to face me one on one!)" Pidgeot retorted.

"(Get out here and fight me! Then we'll see who the real joke is!)" Fearow squawked.

"(Very well!)" All the copies vanished, leaving the real Pidgeot. The two Flying types glared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Whoever makes the first move is either going to win or be at a huge disadvantage," Misty commented. Ash was too focused on the two Flying types to really pay attention to what Misty was saying at the time. The stand-off went on e for a few more minutes before the Fearow grew tired of waiting.

"(If you're not going to attack then I will!)" he squawked. With a flap of his wings he charged towards Pidgeot, his beak spinning rapidly.

"That's Drill Peck!" Ash shouted.

"If that hits Pidgeot's going to get hurt!" Misty warned. Despite the danger involved Pidgeot remained calm. Just when it looked like Fearow would make contact Pidgeot seemed to vanish in mid-air. Then, a split-second later, he slammed into Fearow with Quick Attack.

"Whoa! How did Pidgeot move so fast?!" Misty asked.

"I think he used Agility to dodge and then attacked with Quick Attack," Ash explained. "Man, Pidgeot's gotten good over the years." Pikachu glanced back at Ash, noticing a particular look in his eyes. It was also one Pikachu recognized immediately.

"_(Looks like we'll be heading to Legenda with one more ally.)"_

"(You think one little sneak attack is going to be enough to stop me?!)" Fearow squawked.

"(No… but this will!)" Pidgeot showed off his speed by rapidly charging Fearow, his wings giving off a white glow.

"Looks like Pidgeot wants to end this with Wing Attack," Misty remarked. Unfortunately Fearow realized this and showed off his remarkable speed, easily dodging Pidgeot's Wing Attack and retaliating with his own. Pidgeot hit the ground hard, leaving him stunned for a bit.

"Look out, Pidgeot!" Ash warned. The Bird Pokémon looked up to see Fearow diving down at him with Drill Peck.

"(I've got you now!)" the Beak Pokémon shrieked.

"(Not this time!)" Pidgeot countered. Before Fearow's Drill Peck made contact he folded his wing in front of him, the appendage glowing a bright silver. When Fearow's attack hit it bounced right off, causing a bit of damage to Fearow in the process.

"What happened?" Misty asked.

"I think Pidgeot protected himself with Steel Wing," Ash guessed.

"I never remember Pidgeot ever learning Steel Wing," Misty commented.

"I don't either. He must have learned it since we parted," Ash said. As they continued to watch Pidgeot's body took on a slight shine. Seconds later his beak began to spin as he pecked Fearow, earning a squawk of pain from his adversary.

"How did Pidgeot use Drill Peck? He can't learn that, can he?" Ash asked.

"No. He must have used Mirror Move," Misty explained. While Fearow was still stunned Pidgeot took to the skies again, flying in a big loop before charging Fearow once again. Streaks of white flowed from his beak, giving away his next attack.

"He's using Aerial Ace!" Ash shouted, being very familiar with the attack. Fearow recovered and looked up just in time to have Pidgeot strike him with the attack, knocking him to the ground hard. Fearow glared up ad Pidgeot, a pained look on his face. Moments later he collapsed in defeat.

"He won!" Ash cheered.

"Way to go, Pidgeot!" Misty shouted. Pikachu, Marill and Pidgeot's flock also cheered for his hard fought victory. The only ones not happy were Fearow and his flock.

"(You may have won the battle… but I shall win the war! Attack!)" On his command the entire Spearow flock charged Pidgeot, intent on succeeding where their leader did not.

"Hey! The battle's over!" Ash yelled.

"Talk about a sore loser," Misty commented. "Alright, Marill! Stop them with Ice Beam!" The Aquamouse Pokémon ran forward and fired off an Ice beam, freezing many of the Spearow. Unfortunately there were more than she could handle alone.

"Pikachu, help out with Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled. Pikachu ran up next to Marill and unleashed a Thunderbolt, the two attacks dropping Spearow left and right. When they were done much of the flock had been taken out, but many still remained.

"There's too many!" Ash shouted. "Pikachu and Marill can't take them all on their own!" Just when it looked like they would be overwhelmed the Pidgey and Pidgeotto took flight, intercepting the Spearow with Quick Attack. Fearow looked on in disbelief as his flock was dropped one by one. As he looked at his defeated flock Pidgeot had one last message for him.

"(Because you refuse to obey me you and your flock are hereby banished from this forest!)" he declared. "(Neither you or your flock are to ever return!)" Fearow glared at Pidgeot. He wanted nothing more than to take him down right then and there, but he wasn't about to attempt it with all the back-up Pidgeot had at the moment. Thoroughly defeated Fearow called his flock to him as they flew away and out of the forest.

"(Hopefully this will be the last time they cause anyone any problems,)" Pidgeot said. "(Thank you for your help.)"

"I'm just glad things didn't get too bad," Ash said.

"(As am I,)" Pidgeot agreed. With the situation involving Fearow and the Spearow flock now resolved Ash decided to ask a very important question.

"Pidgeot… do you remember what I told you before I headed to Johto?" he asked.

"(Of course. You said that one day you'd come back for me,)" the Bird Pokémon said, remembering that day as if it were just yesterday. Ash then looked at him and smiled.

"Well, today is that day," he announced. "I'm heading to the Legenda region and I'd really like to have you there with me. What do you say?" To say Pidgeot was surprised by Ash's offer would be an understatement.

"(I… wow… this was unexpected,)" Pidgeot stuttered.

"I can imagine," Ash admitted. "Still, I really want you back on the team."

"(Believe me, Ash, I want nothing more than to travel with you once again,)" Pidgeot said. "(The thing is…)"

"(You… can't come, can you,)" Ash sighed.

"(It's not that I don't want to. It's just… the flock needs me,)" Pidgeot replied. "(They rely on me for protection and I can't just abandon them like that. You understand, right?)"

"Well, when you put it that way I can see why you need to stay," Ash said. "Still, I really wish you could have come along."

"(I know. I'm sorry to have disappointed you,)" Pidgeot said. "(I wish you well in Legenda, Ash.)"

"Thanks. Good luck with you and your flock," Ash said. With that said he, Misty and their Pokémon started to leave the forest. Pidgeot could only watch sadly as they left.

"(Well, there they go,)" he sighed.

"(If you want to go with him that badly then go.)" Pidgeot spun around and saw that one of the Pidgeotto had spoken up. This one was a bit larger than the rest, indicating that he was also a bit older.

"(Are you sure? You don't need me here?)" Pidgeot asked, secretly hoping they didn't.

"(If anything we need to learn to be self-reliant,)" the Pidgeotto admitted. "(For too long we've relied on you to fight our battles. It's kept us from being as strong as we should be.)"

"(We have to learn to stand on our own two talons, to fight our own battles,)" a young Pidgey added. It filled Pidgeot with a sense of pride to hear them saying this.

"(If this is truly what you want,)" he questioned.

"(It is,)" the Pidgeotto said. "(Go be with your trainer. We'll be fine.)" Looking over the flock Pidgeot could tell they all felt the same way. With a nod of approval he took flight to go catch up with Ash and Misty.

"_(Good luck, Pidgeot… and thank you for everything you've done for us,)" _the Pidgeotto silently said.

* * *

Ash and Misty made good time, exiting the forest to the north shortly after leaving Pidgeot and his flock. Both of them and their Pokémon still had the memory of what happened running through their heads.

"You think Pidgeot and his flock will be okay?" Misty asked.

"I'm sure they will," Ash told her. "Though I would have liked to have Pidgeot with me right now."

"He had to stay behind to protect his flock," Misty reminded him.

"I know," Ash replied. "I hope they'll all be okay." The group continued on for a bit when…

"(Ash! Wait up!)" They stopped and looked towards the voice. To their surprise Pidgeot landed in front of them.

"What are you doing here, Pidgeot? I thought you'd be with your flock," Ash remarked.

"(They… won't be needing me,)" Pidgeot told him.

"They won't? Why not?" Misty asked.

"(They've convinced me that they'll be fine on their own, so I'm now free to go with you to Legenda, Ash,)" he explained. This filled Ash with great joy. He ran to his old friend and threw his arms around him.

"That's great, Pidgeot!" he cheered. "It'll be just like old times!"

"(That it will, Ash,)" Pidgeot agreed. Reaching for his belt Ash grabbed an empty Poké Ball and enlarged it. He then tapped Pidgeot on his head, transforming the Bird Pokémon into red energy. He was then drawn inside the ball. No attempts to escape were made as the indicator on the front of the ball flashed three times before the familiar 'ping' of a successful capture rang out.

"Welcome back, old friend," Ash said with a smile, looking down at Pidgeot's Poké Ball.

"(Alright! We got Pidgeot back!)" Pikachu cheered.

"Looks like you'll be going with five instead of four," Misty commented.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. Now with one more Pokémon on the team the group continued on their way towards Cerulean City.

* * *

Weeks later the group arrived in Cerulean City. With ticket in hand Ash and Misty headed for the docks so Ash could board the ship headed for Legenda. After showing his ticket to eh harbormaster Ash was allowed on the ship, and not a moment too soon. Right after he boarded the whistle sounded, signaling the last call for anyone who was to board.

"Looks like we got here just in time," Ash remarked.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu agreed. Minutes later the gangplank was drawn in and the ship set sail. As they sailed away from the docks Ash could see Misty waving to him.

"So long, Ash! Good luck in Legenda!" she called.

"Goodbye, Misty! Keep up the work at the Gym!" Ash replied.

"(Bye, Misty!)" Pikachu called. Ash and Pikachu continued to wave until the docks were out of sight. Their thoughts then turned to the adventure that awaited them.

"Legenda region… here we come!" Ash announced. The two of them were so excited that neither of them noticed a periscope appearing above the waves. Down below Team Rocket's Magikarp sub followed closely behind the ship.

"It doesn't matter where you go to," Jessie said.

"We'll follow right behind you," James added.

"And we'll eventually capture Pikachu," Meowth finished.

"Wobbuffet."

* * *

And thus Ash and Pikachu's trip to Legenda officially begins. With Pidgeot back on the team and the ever persistent Team Rocket still on their tails things are sure to stay exciting. What new adventures await them? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power!**

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	5. New Beginnings

**Chapter 5: New Beginnings**

"Nikki, time to get up!" In the upstairs bedroom of a modest two-story house a young girl slowly awakened from sleep. She emerged from her bed moments later in her light blue pajamas and made her way to her bedroom window. She pushed it open, looking over her hometown of Pinegrove Town while breathing in the ocean scent. Her name was Nikita Lyons, or Nikki as her friends and family knew her.

"What a beautiful morning," she sighed as she watched some Wingull and Pelipper fly overhead.

"Nikki, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes!"

"Okay, Mom!" There were many things Nikki looked forward to, and a nice warm breakfast was one of them. She got out of bed and brushed her shoulder length black hair, straightening out her bed hair. She then changed out of her pajamas and into a white t-shirt, blue vest and blue shorts. She then pulled on a pair of white ankle socks and slipped into her pink slippers before heading downstairs to join her mother for breakfast. When she got downstairs she saw her mother Trish in the kitchen. She had just finished setting the table, her Delcatty already eating her bowl of Pokémon food.

"Morning, Mom. Morning, Delcatty," she greeted.

"(Good morning, Nikki,)" Delcatty happily replied.

"Good morning, Nikki," Trish said. "I hope you're in the mood for pancakes."

"Yeah!" Nikki cheered. The young girl could barely contain her excitement as her mother handed her a plate with a large stack of pancakes.

"Eat up," she said.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Nikki joked. As Nikki began eating her pancakes a special report came across the television. A young red-haired woman in a white lab coat was standing next to a table with three Poké Balls.

"Look. It's Professor Redwood," Trish pointed out.

"Good morning, Legenda! This is Professor Lydia Redwood letting all aspiring trainers and coordinators know that they can come to my lab near Pinegrove Town to receive a starter Pokémon. The earlier you come the better your chances of getting the perfect partner, so don't wait."

"You know Nikki, maybe you should think about starting your own journey," Trish suggested.

"I can't do that. Who'll help you run the daycare?" Nikki asked. Trish sighed. This was the same thing Nikki said every time she mentioned anything about Nikki starting her own journey.

"Now Nikki, you know I can run the daycare on my own. After all I do have some knowledge when it comes to raising Pokémon." In her younger days Trish was an accomplished Pokémon coordinator, even winning the Ribbon Cup on one occasion. Those days, though, were behind her. Now she ran a Pokémon daycare in Pinegrove City. Nikki helped out all the time, which lead her to believe she was needed at home and couldn't leave on her own journey.

"And besides you're 15 years old. Everyone else your age have already begun their journeys," Trish continued.

"But Mom…"

"Don't worry about me, Nikki. I'll be fine. I do have Delcatty and my other Pokémon here to help me if I need it," she said. "So please, go out and experience your own journey."

"Are you sure about this, Mom?" Nikki asked. She wanted to start her own journey like her friends had, but she didn't want to just leave her mother to run the daycare on her own.

"I'm sure, sweetie," Trish assured. Nikki was so overjoyed that she jumped out of her chair and hugged her mother tightly.

"Thanks, Mom!" she said.

"You're welcome," Trish laughed. "Now, you should hurry to Professor Redwood's so you can get the very best Pokémon."

"Way ahead of you, Mom!" Trish said. She quickly kicked off her slippers before lacing up her blue-and-white hi-tops.

"Don't forget your backpack," Trish said, handing Nikki a red backpack filled with various gear she would need on her journey. Slinging it over her shoulder she then sprinted out the door and jumped on her bike.

"You do remember where her lab is, don't you?" Trish called.

"Of course! It's right outside of town! I just need to follow the path and I can't miss it!" Nikki recited.

"Okay then! Be careful!" Trish said.

"I will, Mom!" And with those words Nikki sped off on her way to Professor Redwood's lab. Trish watched from the front door, Delcatty by her side.

"Well, she's finally off," Trish sighed. "Seems like it was only yesterday she was taking her first steps."

"(That's the thing about children… they grow up fast,)" Delcatty said.

"That they do, Delcatty. That they do," Trish agreed.

* * *

"(Hey! I can see the Legenda region!)" Looking over the bow of the ship Ash and Pikachu could make out a continent appearing on the horizon.

"We're almost there, Pikachu," Ash said, a confident smile on his face. With the two of them focused on what was ahead of them they didn't notice what was behind them.

"We're closing in on the ship," James announced.

"Good. Now, is everyone clear on the plan?" Jessie asked.

"You bet. We launch a sneak-attack on the ship and during the confusion we snatch up Pikachu and any other Pokémon we can get our hands on," Meowth explained. "Then we retreat back to the sub and make our getaway before anyone knows what hit them."

"Alright! Everyone into position!" Jessie announced. Back on the ship deck Ash and Pikachu were still looking out over the water. Suddenly, a large shadow passed beneath them.

"Check it out, Pikachu. What do you think that is?" Ash asked, pointing at the shadow.

"(It could be a Pokémon,)" Pikachu guessed. "(Maybe a Wailord.)"

"Maybe," Ash agreed. As the shadow passed beneath the ship it approached Team Rocket's sub.

"Huh? What's that?" Meowth asked. Looking at their external monitor the trio saw a large shape approaching them. It resembled a whale, but it had two massive wings on each side of its body and a large horizontal tail.

"What is that thing?" Jessie shrieked.

"I think I've seen something like that before," James said. Before they could figure out what it was the creature flapped its wings, sending a powerful current that carried the sub away from the ship.

"Team Rocket's getting swept away again!" they cried.

* * *

Minutes after leaving home Nikki rode up to Professor Redwood's lab. The building itself wasn't too large, about the size of a normal one story house. What was impressive were the fields behind the lab. Rolling hills that seemed to stretch for miles took up the majority of the back of the lab, filled with Pokémon belonging to the many trainers and coordinators that started their journeys over the years. And now, Nikki was ready to add her name to the ever growing list.

"Okay, girl. Time to pick a partner," she told herself. She parked her bike in front of the lab and got off. As she was approaching the front door two girls exited. One was a blond wearing a white t-shirt, red jeans and white sneakers. She had an Illumise hovering by her side. The other, a brunette, had on a white t-shirt with a green tank top over it, a blue jean skirt and brown knee-high boots. By her side was a Roselia. Nikki smiled as she instantly recognized her two childhood friends.

"Laura! Mya!" she called. The two girls looked up and saw Nikki approaching. Laura was the first to speak up.

"Hi, Nikki!" the blond greeted. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Me neither," Mya said. "So, what brings you here?"

"Well, my mom finally convinced me to start my Pokémon journey," Nikki admitted.

"About time. The rest of us did that years ago," Laura said.

"Yeah, but you guys didn't have to help your parents run a Pokémon daycare," Nikki argued.

"Neither did you but you did anyway," Mya countered.

"In any case I'm starting it now," Nikki said.

"So which Pokémon are you going to get? Professor Redwood still has some good ones left," Mya said.

"I'm not sure yet. I'll have to see just what she has," Nikki told her.

"We're sure she'll have something for you," Mya said. With that said she, Laura and their Pokémon said goodbye to Nikki as they went on their way.

"Okay. Let's get this show on the road." With her mind made up Nikki approached the door and walked inside the lab. Inside she saw a few tables with stacks of papers laying on them. A few computers lined the wall, each of them showing data from the various Pokémon at the lab.

"May I help you?" Nikki looked up and saw a woman in a white lab coat standing in front of her.

"Are you Professor Redwood?" she inquired.

"That's right. And you are?"

"I'm Nikita Lyons. I'm here to get a starter Pokémon," the young girl informed her.

"Lyons? Ah, you must be Trish's daughter," Professor Redwood guessed. "So you finally decided to listen to your mother and start your journey."

"Yeah. I know I'm starting much later than usual, but better late than never," Nikki alleged.

"That is true," Professor Redwood agreed. "So, what path do you wish to take? Do you want to be a coordinator like your mother, or a trainer like your father?" Nikki had to think about this for a bit. Her mother was a well-known former coordinator, but her father was currently a member of the Legenda Elite 4.

"_This is a though choice,"_ she thought. She pondered her decision for a few more minutes before finally deciding.

"I think… I'll follow in my mother's footsteps and be a coordinator," she announced.

"I'm sure that's a career move your mother would agree with," Professor Redwood joked. "Now, let's see if we can find you the perfect partner." She lead Nikki to a computer terminal and pressed a few buttons. The screen lit up and a list of all the Pokémon still available was pulled up.

"I'm sure you'll find one you like," she said. Nikki looked at the screen. Pokémon ranging from Charmander to Riolu filled the screen, giving Nikki a wide selection to choose from.

"Wow… so many to choose from. This isn't going to be easy," she said.

"Just take your time. This is a big decision, after all," Professor Redwood advised. Nikki continued to look over the Pokémon, envisioning each one as a potential partner.

"Let's see… Caterpie, no… Whismer, no… Shinx, no… huh?" As she scanned over the available Pokémon she spotted one that caught her eye.

"Do you still have this one?" Nikki asked, pointing at a Buneary.

"I believe so," Professor Redwood replied. "Let me go check." While she went to check for the Buneary Nikki began to think about how her journey would play out. A couple minutes later Professor Redwood came back holding a Poké Ball.

"Here she is," she told Nikki, handing the young girl the Poké Ball.

"Thank you," Nikki said as she took the ball. "Okay, time for some introductions!" She tossed the ball, watching as it opened and the Buneary contained inside appeared.

"_She's so cute!" _Nikki thought. The Rabbit Pokémon opened her eyes and looked around for a bit. When she saw Nikki she looked at the girl with a curious expression.

"(Are… Are you my trainer?)" she asked.

"That's right. I'm Nikki and I want to be a coordinator," the girl replied. The young Buneary smiled.

"(That sounds like fun,)" she said.

"I'm glad you think so," Nikki agreed.

"Looks like you two are really hitting it off," Professor Redwood observed.

"Absolutely. Buneary is the perfect partner," Nikki declared.

"Then I guess all there's left to do is give you these." Professor Redwood handed Nikki five more Pokémon Balls and a sky blue Pokédex.

"Thank you. Now I'm all set to head out!" Nikki announced.

"If you plan to qualify for the Grand Festival you'll need to win five ribbons," Professor Redwood informed her. "The first contest will be held in Miyasa Town in a couple of weeks. It's a few days walk from here but you should be able to make it easily."

"Miyasa Town. Guess that's our first stop, Buneary," Nikki said.

"(Okay,)" Buneary agreed.

"But first I want to see what kinds of moves you can do," Nikki announced. "Is it okay if we use the fields behind the lab?"

"I suppose it would be okay. You'll just have to be careful to mind the wild Pokémon," Professor Redwood warned.

"We'll be careful," Nikki promised. "Come on, Buneary!"

"(Right behind you!)" the Rabbit Pokémon announced. Professor Redwood watched as Nikki and her new Pokémon raced out to the fields behind the lab.

"Ah, to be young again," she sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I should get things ready here. That trainer Professor Oak spoke of should be arriving sometime today."

* * *

"Alright, we made it!" After a long trip from Kanto Ash and Pikachu finally set foot in the Legenda region. The duo took a moment to look around, taking in the scenery.

"I wonder what kind of challenges we'll encounter here," Ash wondered.

"(Who knows,)" Pikachu answered. "(We just have to be ready for anything.)"

"You got that right," Ash agreed. "Well, let's get to Professor Redwood's lab and let Professor Oak know we arrived." With Pikachu on his shoulder Ash set off for Professor Redwood's lab. Meanwhile, at a different part of the docks, Team Rocket's Magikarp sub finally surfaced. The hatch on top was opened and the mischievous trio quickly scrambled out and onto dry land.

"Finally! I didn't think we'd ever get to land!" Jessie gasped. "Just what was that thing we ran into?"

"I think it was a Pokémon, though the exact species name escapes me at the moment," James chimed in.

"That's not the only thing that's escaped us! We lost track of the twerp!" Meowth shouted. Looking around the didn't see the ship Ash and Pikachu were on anywhere.

"Well isn't this just great! Not only do we get attacked by some unknown Pokémon but now we have no idea where the twerp and his Pikachu are!" Jessie complained.

"It might not be as bad if we just knew where we were," James said. At that moment a dock worker was passing by.

"Excuse me. Could you tell us where we are," James inquired.

"Huh? Well these are the docks in Pinegrove Town. How could you not know that?" he responded.

"Pinegrove Town? We must be all the way in the Legenda region!" James shouted.

"Legenda? Where's that?" Jessie asked.

"It a region to the southeast of Sinnoh and is said to be home to some powerful Pokémon," James informed them.

"Powerful Pokémon, huh," Jessie commented, a sinister smile on her face. "Well I think we should get to work acquiring those Pokémon."

"But let's start with our favorite yellow mouse," Meowth suggested.

"That may be easier said than done. We don't exactly have any means of land or air transportation," James pointed out. Meowth turned to look his way.

"That, Jimmy-boy, can be easily fixed," the Scratch Cat Pokémon announced. His gaze then went from James the their Magikarp submarine.

* * *

"Okay, this looks like a good place." After leaving Professor Redwood's lab Nikki and Buneary searched around for a place to practice. They soon came upon a clearing in the woods behind the lab.

"Okay, Buneary. Let's see what you can do," Nikki announced. She took out her Pokédex and scanned her Pokémon.

**Buneary, the Rabbit Pokémon. Their ears are always rolled up. They can be forcefully extended to shatter even a large boulder.**

"Whoa. You've got some power behind those ears," Nikki commented. "Now let's see what moves you know." She scanned Buneary once again.

**Buneary's known moves are: Hidden Power, Jump Kick, Charm and Bounce.**

"Hey, those are some nice moves," Nikki complimented.

"(Thanks. Professor Redwood helped me learn those moves,)" Buneary bragged.

"Well in that case you should be able to pull off some great combinations with them," Nikki commented. "Okay, let's start off with Hidden Power, and put a spin in there!"

"(Okay!)" Buneary jumped into the air, spinning slowly. Seconds later she began to give off a pale glow as she used hidden Power, numerous small orbs appearing around her. The orbs then started spinning with Buneary.

"Okay, looking good!" Nikki praised. She was about to call out another attack when Buneary began to lose control of her Hidden Power.

"(Uh-oh! Look out below!)" Buneary warned. Nikki had to duck and cover as the orbs from Buneary's Hidden Power flew all over the place, many of them, flying off into the woods.

"I think we know what we need to work on," Nikki commented. One of the orbs flew into some nearby bushes. Seconds later an angry cry echoed through the air.

"What was that?" Nikki questioned. Shortly after that an angry Victreebel emerged from the bushes, a small bruise on his head.

"Oops. I guess he got caught in the attack," Nikki guessed. "Sorry about that, Victreebel."

"(Yeah, we didn't mean it,)" Buneary apologized. Unfortunately the Victreebel didn't appear to accept their apology as he continued to glare at them.

"(I don't think he accepts our apology,)" Buneary commented. Her statement was proven to be true when the Victreebel lashed out at them, slinging a Razor Leaf volley at them.

"Duck!" Nikki shouted. She and Buneary got their heads down just in time to avoid the Victreebel's attack.

"Hey! We said we're sorry! There's no need for that!" Nikki scolded. All that did was earn her a hateful glare from the Flycatcher Pokémon, as well as his undivided attention.

"(Be careful, Nikki!)" Buneary warned. Nikki knew better than to make any sudden movements, especially without knowing how the hostile Victreebel would react. It was much safer to let the Victreebel make the first move. She didn't have to wait long, for moments later the Victreebel lashed out at her with his vine.

"_Feet, don't fail me now!"_ She ducked to the right, narrowly avoiding the vine. Despite missing the Victreebel continued his attack, repeatedly lashing out at Nikki with his vine and keeping the young girl ducking left and right to avoid the attacks. The longer this went on, though, the more it became clear that Nikki couldn't keep dodging the Victreebel's attacks for much longer.

"(Hang on, Nikki!)" Buneary shouted. She bounced into action, firing a Hidden Power at the Grass type. Unfortunately with her being so new at battling her attack was nothing more than a minor annoyance. The Victreebel paused his attack of Nikki long enough to grab Buneary with his vine and sling her against a tree. Then, before the Rabbit Pokémon could get up he sprayed her with a Stun Spore cloud, the paralyzing golden scales immobilizing her instantly.

"Buneary!" Nikki shouted.

"(N-Nikki… I… c-can't… move!)" Buneary stuttered.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Nikki called. She ran towards Buneary, only managing a couple of steps before the Victreebel lashed out at her once again, wrapping his vine tightly around her ankle. With one strong yank Nikki was brought to the ground.

"Let me go!" Nikki demanded. She tried to kick the vine off with her free leg, but the Victreebel just looped his vine around her other ankle, binding her legs together. Nikki tried to squirm her way loose but the Victreebel pulled on her legs, dragging the helpless girl towards him.

"No!" she screamed. Buneary tried to move, wanting nothing more than to help her new trainer, but her body was still under the effects of the earlier Stun Spore and refused to move. Left with no other option Nikki could only hope that there was someone nearby who could help.

"Help! Someone help me!"

* * *

After getting some directions from the locals Ash and Pikachu were finally on their way to Professor Redwood's lab. They had just reached the outskirts of the town when Pikachu's ears suddenly perked up.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"(Someone's in trouble,)" the Mouse Pokémon reported. Ash's mind immediately went into rescue-mode.

"Can you tell where they are?" he asked. Pikachu closed his eyes, concentrating on the cries for help. Seconds later he glanced at the woods along the path they were walking.

"(This way!)" he squeaked.

"Alright. Lead the way!" Ash instructed. The two of them abandoned the path and rushed into the woods. Finding whoever was in danger and rescuing them had become their top priority.

* * *

"Someone please, help me!" By now Nikki was beginning to think no one had heard her cries for help. All she could do now was try to free herself by any means necessary. She resumed her struggles, trying in vain to kick her legs free of the Victreebel's hold. But the more she struggled the tighter the Flycatcher Pokémon's grip became. By now the vine was so tight around Nikki's ankles it began to hurt.

"Please… please let me go," she cried. Despite her pleas the Victreebel had no intention of letting her go. Moments later his mouth opened and a large blob of sludge began to form. Nikki stared wide-eyed, knowing exactly what the blob was.

"T-That's… Gunk Shot!" she screamed. Nikki's struggles intensified, but the Victreebel refused to release her.

"(N-No… Nikki!)" Buneary cried. The young future-coordinator looked back to see the Gunk Shot nearly complete. Her eyes grew wide in fear as she realized her journey was going to end before it got started.

"_This is it! It's all over!"_ she panicked. She shut her eyes and screamed, knowing there was no way out of this.

"Quick Attack!" A sudden shout caused her to open her eyes. She looked back at the Victreebel and saw a yellow blur slam into him. The blow hurt him quite a bit, causing him to release his hold on her legs. Nikki wasted no time scrambling to her feet and running over to scoop up Buneary.

"Are you okay?" she inquired.

"(I am, n-now that you're… s-safe,)" Buneary managed to get out. Nikki smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Her attention then went to the Victreebel and whatever had attacked him. To her surprise Pikachu was standing between him and her.

"Whoa, a Pikachu," she gasped. She grabbed her Pokédex and scanned him.

**Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. This intelligent Pokémon roasts hard berries with electricity to make them tender enough to eat.**

"Okay, so what's a Pikachu doing here and who was that I heard shouting?" Nikki questioned. Before she could figure out some answers the Victreebel lashed out at the Pikachu with Vine Whip.

"Look out!" Nikki shouted.

"Dodge and use Iron Tail!"

"There's that voice again!" Nikki said. Pikachu did as he was told, dodging the Vine Whip and countering with Iron Tail. Nikki stared in awe as Victreebel stumbled backwards from the force of Pikachu's Iron Tail.

"There's no way that's a wild Pikachu. He's too strong," she commented. "I wonder who…" Before she could finish her statement Ash appeared by her side.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"My Buneary's paralyzed, but other than that we're fine," Nikki said. Ash looked at the Rabbit Pokémon in her arms, noticing the golden dust scales coating her fur.

"I think I have something for that in my backpack," Ash said. "Let me just take a quick…"

"(Ash!)" Ash looked towards Pikachu and saw him dodging a Razor Leaf volley.

"(I could use a hand here!)" the Mouse Pokémon shouted.

"Coming right up!" Ash grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it out.

"Pidgeot, I choose you!" he called. As Ash's Flying type appeared Nikki gasped in awe.

"That's the biggest Pidgeot I've ever seen!" she gasped. She pointed her Pokédex at him and scanned.

**Pidgeot, the Bird Pokémon. By flapping its wings with all its might, Pidgeot can make a gust of wind capable of bending tall trees.**

"Amazing," she said.

"Pidgeot, use Aerial Ace!" Ash instructed.

"(At once!)" Pidgeot flew in a large loop to build up speed before slamming into the Victreebel, causing critical damage.

"Now follow up with Wing Attack!" Ash instructed.

"(Right away!)" Pidgeot complied. He doubled back and struck the Victreebel with one of his wings. The Flycatcher Pokémon, realizing he was overpowered, decided to beat a hasty retreat.

"That's showing him, guys!" Ash cheered. Pikachu and Pidgeot shared their trainer's enthusiasm, adding cheers of their own. Meanwhile Nikki was amazed that Ash managed to drive off the Victreebel as easily as he did.

"_Man, he's good. He beat that Victreebel like he was nothing, while I couldn't even mount any kind of offensive against him," _she thought. She was so caught up in her thoughts she almost didn't see Ash and his Pokémon approaching her.

"Okay, let's see if I have something for your Buneary," he said, snapping Nikki back to reality. As he searched Nikki was wondering who he was and what brought him to Legenda.

"_He's definitely a seasoned trainer. I wonder if he's here to compete in the Legenda League,"_ she wondered. By now Ash had taken a berry out of his backpack.

"Here. Have your Buneary eat this," he instructed. He handed her a small red berry that had a curled green stem.

"A Cheri berry?" she questioned.

"Eating one cures paralysis," Ash explained. After hearing this Nikki quickly gave the berry to Buneary.

"Eat this. You'll feel better," she said.

"(O…kay,)" Buneary stuttered. Though still suffering from paralysis she managed to take a small bite out of the berry. Almost instantly she felt the paralysis start to wear off. That was all the reason she needed to eat the rest of the berry. After quickly devouring the remainder of the Cheri berry Buneary was able to move around freely.

"(Ah… that's much better!)" she sighed. Nikki smiled as she scooped up Buneary, glad to see her feeling better. After their brief moment Nikki turned to Ash and his Pokémon.

"Thank you for helping us back there," she said. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't."

"I'm glad we didn't have to find out," Ash told her. "I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."

"(And I'm Pikachu,)" Pikachu greeted.

"(I'm Pidgeot,)" Pidgeot added.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Nikita Lyons, but you can call me Nikki," Nikki greeted. "And this is my partner Buneary."

"(Hi!)" Buneary said.

"So Ash, what brings you to the Legenda region?" Nikki questioned.

"I heard about the league here and I wanted to give it a try," Ash answered. "Speaking of which I was heading to Professor Redwood's lab. You wouldn't happen to know where it is?"

"Sure. I just came from there myself. If you want I can take you there," Nikki offered.

"That'll be great. Thanks," Ash said. He recalled Pidgeot just as Pikachu hopped on his shoulder. Nikki gave the duo a questioning look.

"Aren't you going to return Pikachu to his Poké Ball?" she asked.

"Nah. Pikachu doesn't like being inside his Poké Ball, and things would get lonely without my buddy to keep me company," Ash explained.

"(That's right,)" Pikachu agreed.

"I never thought of that," Nikki admitted. She then looked at Buneary, who was still in her arms.

"Would you like to travel outside your Poké Ball as well?" she asked.

"(If you don't mind,)" Buneary replied. Truthfully Nikki was hoping Buneary would say that.

"Okay. I won't put you back inside unless I absolutely have to," she said.

"(Alright!)" Buneary cheered. She then hopped onto Nikki's shoulder just as Pikachu did with Ash's.

"Okay. On to Professor Redwood's lab!" Ash announced.

"Follow me," Nikki told him. The two trainers, with their Pokémon sitting on their shoulders, started off towards Professor Redwood's lab.

* * *

"I see. It was fortunate in deed that Ash happened to be in the area," Professor Redwood commented after hearing everything that transpired once Nikki and Buneary left her lab.

"I'll say. If he hadn't showed up Buneary and I would have been plant food," Nikki remarked.

"Well I'm glad everyone is safe," Professor Redwood said. "By the way I've registered you for the Legenda League, Ash."

"Thank you," Ash said. "Now all I have to do is qualify."

"And you can start off by challenging the gym in Lunick City," Professor Redwood said.

"Lunick City, huh. Guess that's our next stop, Pikachu," Ash said.

"(Looks like it,)" Pikachu agreed. After hearing where Ash's next destination was Nikki began to think.

"_Miyasa Town is on the way to Lunick Town. Maybe Ash will want to travel together,"_ she pondered. She was about to make that offer when the entire lab began to shake.

"W-What's h-happening?" Ash shouted. Then, evil laughter filled the air.

"Who's that?" Nikki asked. They headed outside to see what was making all the noise. When they got outside they saw a large mechanical Magikarp on tank treads sitting in front of the lab.

"What is that thing?" Professor Redwood questioned.

"This, my dear, is the instrument of your demise!" a female voice declared. Moments later the hatch on top opened and three familiar faces appeared.

"Come on! You three followed me all the way out here?" Ash yelled.

"We'll go wherever we need to get what we want!" Jessie declared.

"And what we want is Pikachu!" Meowth added.

"Just who are you guys?" Nikki inquired.

"Well, since you asked you'll be the first to hear our new motto," Jessie announced.

"Nobody wants to hear that!" Ash protested. Unfortunately his protests fell upon deaf ears:

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Tada!" Ash and the others were left speechless.

"Look! The new motto has left them in awe of our awesomeness!" James declared.

"_Oh brother… and here I was thinking they couldn't get any worse…"_ Ash groaned.

"Umm… who did you say you were again?" Nikki asked. A collective groan was heard from the evil trio.

"Weren't you paying attention? We're Team Rocket, the most diabolical force in the world!" Jessie shouted.

"Never heard of you," Nikki said.

"Oh come on!" Jessie griped.

"Look! We don't have time to deal with you three right now, so just get out of our way!" Ash demanded.

"Oh we'll get out of your way… after we get Pikachu!" Meowth announced. With that the trio retreated back inside their machine.

"And with our newly-modified Magikarp tank that'll be as easy as taking candy from a baby!" Meowth declared.

"Well then, let's get it done!" Jessie said. With Meowth at the controls Team Rocket began their attack. The Magikarp sub, now a tank, rolled towards Ash and the others.

"Hey, watch out!" he shouted. He, along with Professor Redwood, Nikki and their Pokémon all dove out of the way as the tank charged through.

"Fire the stun missile!" Jessie ordered.

"Aye-aye!" Meowth complied. He turned the tank around and fired a missile from its mouth at Pikachu.

"Look out, Pikachu!" Ash warned. Seeing the projectile heading for him Pikachu jumped out of the way just in time. Unfortunately the missile kept going and hit Nikki's bike, completely destroying it.

"No, not my bike!" she cried. Ash and Pikachu cringed.

"Not again!" Ash groaned.

"(What's with me and bikes?)" Pikachu griped. Nikki, angered over her bike being destroyed, glared at Team Rocket's Magikarp tank.

"You three are going to pay for destroying my bike!" she yelled.

"Oh please, like that bike was worth anything to begin with," Jessie dismissed. Her remark only further agitated Nikki.

"Okay, that's it! Buneary, use Jump Kick!" she roared. Sharing in her trainer's anger Buneary jumped at the tank and delivered a devastating Jump Kick, knocking the massive machine on its side.

"Ow! What hit us?" Jessie shrieked.

"I think it was that girl's Buneary!" Meowth answered. "That little brown fluff-ball has more power behind those kicks that I thought! I gotta say I'm impressed." This earned him a hard shot to the head from Jessie.

"This isn't the time to be impressed!" she scolded. "James! Get this thing upright!"

"Easier said than done! We never planned for our tank to be tipped over!" James replied.

"You mean we're stuck like this?" Jessie screamed.

"Not for long!" Meowth informed her. The trio looked out the view scope in the tank and saw Ash and Nikki preparing what would more-than-likely be the blast-off attack.

"Buneary, Hidden Power!"

"Pikachu, Volt Tackle!" Pikachu began his charged towards the disabled tank, his body engulfed in electricity. Seconds later Buneary fired her Hidden Power. The orbs from Hidden Power quickly caught up to Pikachu and began to spin around him, the attack taking on the yellow glow of Pikachu's Volt Tackle.

"_Wow… that combination looks amazing! I'll have to get my own Electric type and try it out in a contest," _Nikki thought.

"I think this is going to hurt!" James cried.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Jessie shouted.

"Umm… we're broke," Meowth chimed in.

"We're what?" the two humans simultaneously yelled. Seconds later Pikachu slammed into the tank, transferring thousands of volts of electricity to the machine. The sudden influx of electricity was too much for the machine to handle, causing it to explode and send the mischievous Team Rocket flying into the air.

"You mean to tell me that one little modification to our Magikarp sub completely broke us?" Jessie shrieked.

"Well we didn't have that much to start off with!" Meowth countered.

"New region, new motto… it's true that the more things change the more they stay the same!" James shouted.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they all screamed, vanishing in the distance.

"Way to go you two!" Ash cheered, praising the two Pokémon.

"(Thanks!)" Buneary said.

"(Just another day at the office,)" Pikachu commented.

"My, that was quite the impressive showing," Professor Redwood praised.

"Thank you," Ash said.

You too, Nikki. For someone who just got her Pokémon you…" Professor Redwood stopped speaking, seeing that Nikki was too focused on her destroyed bike to hear her.

"Oh man… my bike is completely trashed!" she wailed, the twisted and mangled frame of her bike sitting on the ground in front of her. Buneary hopped on her shoulder and looked down at the destroyed bike.

"(Sorry about your bike, Nikki,)" she said. Nikki let out a sigh as she looked at the Rabbit Pokémon sitting on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault," she told her.

"You know, I feel partly responsible for your bike getting destroyed," Ash spoke up. "Team Rocket's been after me for years." Nikki turned to face Ash.

"I don't blame you for this. It's those three idiots that I blame," she said. "They're the ones who destroyed my bike."

"Still the only reason they were here was because of me," Ash countered. "If there's anything I can do to make it up to you just let me know." Hearing that gave Nikki an idea.

"Well… if you really feel you have to make it up to me… could you let me travel with you?" she asked. "You see I want to be top coordinator but I didn't want to travel alone."

"(You won't be alone. I'll be with you,)" Buneary pointed out.

"I know, but I was talking about human companionship," Nikki said. "So… I was kinda hoping that…"

"You don't need to say anything else," Ash interrupted. "Of course we can travel together. The more the merrier I always say."

"Great! So, can we stop in Miyasa Town first? You se, that's where my first contest is," Nikki explained. "It's on the way to Lunick City."

"Sure. If you're going to be traveling with me we'll need to make stops wherever they have contests so you can qualify for the Grand Festival," Ash told her.

"Thanks, Ash," Nikki gratefully said.

"No problem," Ash replied.

"Looks like we're going to be traveling partners,)" Pikachu commented. "(Here's to our partnership.)" He extended a paw to Buneary, who graciously accepted.

"(I'm looking forward to our time together,)" Buneary announced.

"Good luck, you two," Professor Redwood said. "And don't worry about your bike, Nikki. I'll take care of it."

"Okay," Nikki replied.

"Alright then. Let's get going!" With new friends and traveling partners in Nikki and her Buneary Ash and Pikachu set off on their journey through the Legenda region.

* * *

After a brief run-in with Team Rocket Ash and Pikachu finally start their journey through the Legenda region with their new friends Nikita Lyons and her Buneary. What adventures await them on the road to their first stop in Miyasa Town? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

**Author's Note****: **A special thanks goes out to Angel Stryker for coming up with the new Team Rocket motto used in this chapter. Also, if anyone can guess what the mystery Pokémon Team Rocket ran into was they'll receive an honorable mention at the beginning of the next chapter.

Please review


	6. Rules of the Game

Before we get started I'd like to congratulate Scarlet Pikachu, Ashton Nauran, Death's Serenade and et4279 for correctly guessing the mystery Pokémon from Chapter 5 (Kyogre).

**Chapter 6: Rules of the Game**

Far away from Professor Redwood's lab the Team Rocket trio of Jessie, James and Meowth were recovering from their recent unfortunate blast-off. The three of them were tired, hungry and Jessie was in a particularly bad mood.

"I am sick and tired of that twerp always beating us! Just what do we have to do to get the upper hand on him?!" she shrieked, forcing James and Meowth to cover their ears momentarily.

"Perhaps if we had some Pokémon of our own that could go head-to-head with the twerp's Pokémon we would stand a better chance," James suggested.

"Easier said than done, Jimmy. That twerp has been training his Pokémon non-stop for the past seven years," Meowth commented.

"That's true. It'll take years of training for our Pokémon to even hope to get that strong," James moaned.

"I don't want to wait for years! I want results now!" Jessie cried.

"But there's no way we can get instant results unless we…" As James was speaking the trio came upon a phone booth.

"Well that's strange… what's a phone booth doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?" James questioned.

"Who cares! Now we can call the Boss and ask him for some more Pokémon!" Meowth cheered. With hopeful optimism the three managed to squeeze themselves into the phone booth.

"Good thing I remember the Boss's number," Meowth bragged.

"Hurry up and dial it! The sooner we get more Pokémon the sooner Pikachu will be ours," Jessie said.

"Alright, hold your Horsea," Meowth said. He dialed the number and then, along with his teammates, waited for their boss to answer.

"Hello? Who is it?" a rough sounding voice asked. The voice belonged to Giovanni, former Viridian City Gym Leader and current leader of Team Rocket. Immediately Jessie, James and Meowth's bodies stiffened. Just the sound of their his voice was enough to strike fear in them.

"G-Greetings, B-Boss," Jessie stuttered.

"Who is this?!" Giovanni demanded.

"J-Jessie, James and M-Meowth reporting in!" Jessie quickly announced. From the other end a loud sigh echoed over the phone.

"What do you want this time?" he groaned.

"We've found ourselves in the Legenda region and were wondering if you could send some stronger Pokémon our way," Meowth said. "So, umm… what do you say?"

"What do I say?! I say you three haven't shown you're deserving of anything but termination!" Giovanni roared. The three of them flinched at his harsh words.

"However…"After recovering from their initial shock the trio huddled around the phone, eager to hear what Giovanni was going to say next.

"If you believe you do deserve some reinforcements then you must prove yourselves to me and the Team Rocket organization," he added.

"Of course, sir! Just tell us what you want us to do!" Jessie enthusiastically said.

"I've been looking to expand our operations to the Legenda region, so I want you three to scout the area and report back to me should you find anything worth noting," he ordered.

"We'll do our best, sir!" Jessie announce.

"_Though your best is never good enough,"_ he thought. "Carry on." The call was ended and the trio was left with a slim glimmer of hope.

"He… He's depending on us to take over the Legenda region! This is our chance to show him how dependable we are!" Jessie gasped, misinterpreting what Giovanni had actually told them.

"I've never felt so motivated in my life!" James shouted. "Seeing as how we're the only team here this region is already ours!"

"Yeah! No Team Magma, no Team Aqua, no Team Galactic… Team Rocket already rules the Legenda region!" Meowth announced.

"Alright team, let's get out there and show our dominance!" Jessie shouted.

"Yeah!" James and Meowth agreed. Filled with new confidence the trio set off to claim the Legenda region in the name of Team Rocket.

* * *

A large field provided the perfect resting spot for Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon. The group had left Professor Redwood's lab nearly an hour ago and were making good progress towards Miyasa Town, the sight of Nikki's first Pokémon contest.

"So Miyasa Town is only a few days away from here and Lunick City isn't much further," Ash said.

"Yeah. If we keep up at our current pace we'll reach Miyasa Town in about half a week and then Lunick City about a week after that," Nikki explained.

"Alright. That gives us about a week and a half to get ready for our first Gym battle," Ash announced.

"Just out of curiosity are Pikachu and Pidgeot the only Pokémon you brought with you?" Nikki inquired.

"Oh no, I've got some others with me," Ash told her. With that Ash called out his other Pokémon. One by one Pidgeot, Bayleef, Cyndaquil and Gible all appeared.

"Wow," Nikki gasped, in awe of Ash's Pokémon.

"Guys, this is Nikki and her Buneary. They're going to be traveling with us," Ash announced.

"(Hello,)" Cyndaquil greeted.

"(Nice to meet you,)" Bayleef said.

"(Glad to have you onboard,)" Pidgeot said.

"(Hiya!)" Gible cheered.

"They sure are a friendly bunch," Nikki giggled.

"Yeah, and strong too," Ash bragged.

"Well, as true as that may be if they are the only ones you brought with you there's no way you'll qualify for the Legenda League," she declared.

"What?! Why not?!" Ash demanded. "They're strong enough to beat anyone!"

"And I don't doubt that, but the way the League is set up you'll need a lot more than them," Nikki explained.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked, his emotions back to a normal level.

"You see, the Legenda region is separated into four areas with each area having a large number of Gyms," Nikki said.

"Okay, that doesn't sound too much different than normal Leagues," Ash commented.

"That's where you're wrong. Not only does each area have a lot of Gyms but they also have a trainer called an Area Boss," Nikki informed him.

"An Area Boss? What's that?" Ash asked.

"They're trainers that oversee all the Gyms in their area of the region," Nikki explained. "They're much tougher than any Gym Leader you'll come across here."

"That doesn't matter. I'll defeat them too if I have to," Ash declared.

"That's just it. You will have to defeat them, all four of them to be exact," Nikki said.

"That doesn't sound too hard," Ash commented.

"That's what you think. It's tougher than you think to challenge an Area Boss," Nikki told him.

"What do you mean? What do I have to do?" Ash inquired.

"Well, first you'll have to beat two Gyms in the area in order to challenge an Area Boss," Nikki explained. "Then you'll have to find out where the Boss is. Defeat an Area Boss and you'll receive an Area Crest. All in all you need eight Gym badges and four Area Crests to qualify for the Legenda League."

"Okay, so all I have to do is beat two Gyms in each area and then the Area Boss. Do I have that right?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, but even that is more difficult than you think," Nikki said.

"Okay, so what's the hard part about that?" Ash inquired.

"Each Gym Leader and Area Boss specialize in one type," Nikki answered.

"Most Gym Leaders do," Ash pointed out.

"True, but do those other Gym Leaders make the challenger battle using the same types they do?" Nikki questioned.

"Huh?" Ash asked.

"That's where the challenge comes in. The challenger is restricted to only being able to use whatever type the Gym Leader or Area Boss is using. That means if you're facing a Gym Leader or Area Boss that only uses Grass types then you can only use Grass types," Nikki explained.

"So wait… I can only use Pokémon types that match whatever the Gym Leader or Area Boss is using?!" Ash asked, making sure he heard Nikki correctly.

"That's right," Nikki replied. "Whatever type they use you have to use, and battles against the Area Bosses are harder still."

"You're kidding, right?" Ash commented. Nikki shook her head.

"I don't see how they can be any harder than the Gym battles," Ash sighed.

"They are. In battles against the Area Bosses they always have special conditions. For example, you could face one who specializes in Flying types and in that battle all combating Pokémon must stay airborne," Nikki explained.

"Are you serious?! Man, it might take me two or three tries just to beat one of them," Ash groaned.

"Let's hope not. If you lose to an Area Boss you'll have to go out and earn two more badges," Nikki commented.

"What?!" Ash shouted.

"That's another thing. In order to battle against an Area Boss for their Crest you need to wager your two Gym badges. If you lose you lose the Gyms badges and will be forced to go out and earn two more," Nikki clarified. Ash sighed and scratched his head.

"Man… this _is_ going to be tough," he sighed. "Did you guys get all that?"

"(Yeah. This is going to be our hardest challenge yet,)" Pikachu commented.

"(True, but we've never been ones to back away from a challenge,)" Bayleef pointed out.

"(No we haven't. No matter how difficult the challenge we've always faced it head-on,)" Pidgeot said. "(This time will be no different. Right, Ash?)" Ash couldn't help but smile as he listened to his Pokémon speak out so confidently.

"Right," he agreed. "No matter what we're going to win!" His Pokémon all cheered, each one eager to meet this new challenge.

"Looks like all the Pokémon I have are going to get a chance to shine here, even the ones I have back at home," Ash commented.

"Well if they're anything like this bunch you'll have no problem winning the Legenda League," Nikki said.

"Yeah, but there are some types I'm lacking in. If I want to be competitive I'll need to go out and catch some types I need," Ash stated.

"You'll find some. And Buneary and I will be there to help you along the way," Nikki announced.

"(That's right,)" Buneary agreed.

"In that case, let's hit the road!" Before they could get moving Ash's stomach spoke out. The raven-haired trainer nervously laughed.

"Right after lunch," Ash added. Shortly after that Nikki's stomach growled, causing the young girl to blush.

"I think our stomachs are in agreement," Nikki laughed. The two trainers shared a laugh before having a quick lunch.

* * *

After speaking with Nikki about the Legenda League Ash now knows just what he is facing. And yet, in true Ash Ketchum style this has only motivated him and his Pokémon that much more. With that in mind what new challenges will he face? What new Pokémon will he add to his ever-growing team? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	7. Sparking Her Interest

**Chapter 7: Spark-ing Her Interest**

As Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon continued on the road towards Miyasa Town and Nikki's first contest the two trainers were engaged in conversation, learning about one another.

"So you really competed in all those Leagues and never finished any worse than 16th? That's impressive," Nikki commented.

"Yeah, but there were times I should have won that I didn't," Ash countered. "Sometimes I find myself wishing I could go back and redo those moments, maybe do things differently."

"Things happen for a reason. Maybe you were supposed to lose," Nikki suggested.

"Maybe, though I'd like to know why," Ash wondered.

"Well, if you had won would you have kept traveling?" Nikki questioned. That was something Ash hadn't considered. If he had won and became a Master would he have kept traveling.

"When you put it that way you do bring up a good point," he admitted.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Well there you go," Nikki said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ash said. "If I had won I wouldn't have kept traveling and seen all the regions and Pokémon I have."

"And we might have never met," Nikki added.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. While the two trainers were engaged in conversation the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth were hiding in some nearby bushes.

"Twerps, dead ahead," Meowth reported. Jessie and James looked over his shoulder.

"So, what evil scheme do we employ this time?" Jessie questioned.

"Why not go with a classic," Meowth suggested.

"Ah, the old pit trap," James sighed. "What they say is true… the classics never grow old."

"Well then, let's get digging!" Jessie said. The three of them hurried down the path, making sure to stay out of sight, to prepare their trap.

* * *

Ash and Nikki continued down the path lost in their conversation, unaware of what was happening around them. This time it was Ash learning surprising facts about Nikki.

"Your mother is a former top coordinator and your father is a member of the Elite 4... talk about having some steep expectations to live up to," Ash commented.

"You'd think that, but I've never been compared to either of my parents," Nikki replied.

"That must be a load off your mind, not having to deal with the pressure," Ash said.

"It does," Nikki agreed. "It lets me carve my own path instead of making me try to live up to my parents' standards." While the two of them talked Pikachu and Buneary walked ahead of them. Glancing in front of them the two Pokémon noticed something.

"(Hey Ash, Nikki! Take a look at this!)" Pikachu called. The two trainers looked up from their conversation.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked. Pikachu pointed ahead. Ash and Nikki looked at what he and Buneary had found.

"Hey, it's a Pokémon!" Nikki exclaimed. The Pokémon was a small blue lion cub with a tail that ended with a four-point star.

"That's a Shinx," Ash guessed.

"It's so cute!" Nikki squealed. She immediately whipped out her Pokédex and scanned it.

**Shinx, the Flash Pokémon. The extension and contraction of its muscles generates electricity. Its fur glows when it's in trouble.**

"Oh, and it's a female," Nikki observed. "I just have to catch her!" Her outburst attracted the Shinx's attention.

"Okay, Buneary! Let's catch that Shinx!" Nikki shouted.

"(You got it!)" Buneary relied. As she bounced out to battle the Shinx the Flash Pokémon furrowed her brow and growled in annoyance.

"Let's start off with Hidden Power!" Nikki called. Buneary focused and seconds later the orbs from Hidden Power began circling her.

"(Comin' at ya!)" she shouted before hurling the attack at Shinx. The Flash Pokémon, unimpressed by the attack, simply jumped to the side to avoid it.

"Drat!" Nikki griped. "Okay, let's try something else! Jump Kick!"

"(Time to put my best foot forward!)" Buneary declared. She jumped into the air and dove down at the Shinx. Just as Buneary got to her the Shinx dodged. By now she was fed up with just avoiding contact and decided to retaliate, charging Buneary with her body glowing blue with electricity.

"That's Spark!" Ash warned.

"Watch out, Buneary!" Nikki shouted. But it was too late. By the time Buneary turned and saw Shinx charging she didn't have enough time to dodge. Shinx's attack hit hard, sending Buneary crashing to the ground.

"No, Buneary!" Nikki cried. While she, Ash and Pikachu went to check on the Rabbit Pokémon Shinx retreated into the forest.

"Are you okay, Buneary? Are you hurt?" Nikki asked.

"(Just my pride,)" Buneary sighed. "(Sorry I let that Shinx get away.)"

"It's not your fault," Nikki told her.

"Too bad Shinx got away. I think that would have been a great Pokémon for your team," Ash commented. Nikki stood up and looked at him, determination in her eyes.

"Oh, I'm not giving up. That Shinx will be mine," she declared. "Come on, Buneary! Let's go find that Shinx!"

"(Right behind you!)" The two girls dashed into the forest on their hunt for the escaped Shinx.

"Hey, wait for us!" Ash called as he and Pikachu tried to keep up with their energetic traveling partners. Seconds after they left Team Rocket appeared from behind some bushes on the other side of the path.

"So the twerps are chasing down a little Shinx," Jessie commented.

"This might be a good opportunity for us to get a present for the Boss," Meowth announced.

"What would the Boss want with a Shinx?" James asked. That question earned him a slap on the head from Meowth.

"Not the Shinx, you bozo! Pikachu!" he corrected. "While the twerps are hunting for that Shinx we sneak in, nab Pikachu and give him to the Boss."

"Oh," James said.

"And if we play our cards right we may end up with a few souvenir Pokémon of our own," Jessie added.

"Pikachu for the Boss and a bonus for us… I like it," James said.

"Then let's stop talking and start acting!" Jessie shouted. Her companions agreed with her as they all jumped out from behind the bushes… right into the pit trap they had dug earlier.

"Whose bright idea was it to dig a hole here?" Jessie shrieked.

"If memory serves correctly it was you," James groaned.

"That's right. You were the genius who wanted the hole at this very spot," Meowth added.

"Fine time for you two to listen to me!" Jessie argued. The three of them began to quarrel with each other, none of them taking time to figure out how they'd get out of the hole.

* * *

Meanwhile Ash, Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary were busy searching for the runaway Shinx with little success. Wherever the Flash Pokémon was she was making sure they didn't find her.

"Come on. She couldn't have gotten far," Nikki groaned. She, Ash, Pikachu and Buneary were looking through some bushes in a rather dense part of the forest.

"I hate to say this Nikki, but I think that Shinx gave us the slip," Ash commented. "I mean, she could be anywhere now."

"Believe me, she's here. She has to be," Nikki argued. "And we're not leaving until I catch her!"

"Is this for your contest? Couldn't you just go in with just Buneary?" Ash asked.

"I have to have two Pokémon to enter the contest," Nikki replied.

"Why? Is it a double performance or something?" Ash inquired.

"Huh? Uh… yeah, it is," Nikki answered. "H-How did you know?"

"I didn't. I've traveled with some coordinators in the past and even entered in a few contests. I just guessed that the only reason you'd need two Pokémon is because the contest is a double performance," Ash explained.

"Ah. I had no idea," Nikki said.

"So, is it just the first contest that's a double?" Ash asked.

"All the contests in Legenda are doubles," Nikki told him. "The contest organizers figured that having all double performances will make the contest scene more exciting so they adopted the rule and applied it to all contests. Even the Grand Festival will be all double performances."

"Hard to argue with that logic," Ash commented.

"Right, so that's why I want to catch this Shinx so badly," Nikki announced.

"Well, I think I may have an idea," Ash said. "Pikachu, do you think you could try to sense where Shinx is using her electric signature?"

"(I could try,)" Pikachu responded.

"Electric signature? What's that?" Nikki inquired.

"Well, according to Professor Oak Electric type Pokémon all emit a unique electric signal, or signature, from their bodies. I want to see if I can have Pikachu find Shinx's so we can track her," Ash explained.

"Wow. That's a great idea," Nikki complimented. "So can you do it, Pikachu?"

"(I'll do my best,)" Pikachu told her. He stood perfectly still, ears up in the air to try and detect Shinx's electric signature. Ash, Nikki and Buneary also remained quiet so they wouldn't break his concentration.

"You can do it, buddy," Ash whispered, making sure not to distract Pikachu.

"You think Shinx is too far away to be tracked?" Nikki questioned.

"I doubt it. Like you said she has to be here somewhere," Ash answered. Seconds later Pikachu's ears twitched.

"(Hey! I think he found something!)" Buneary exclaimed. Both Ash and Nikki looked at the Electric Mouse Pokémon.

"Is it Shinx?" Nikki inquired.

"(I think so,)" Pikachu reported.

"Good work. Can you tell where she is?" It took Pikachu a bit more time, but he eventually determined which direction Shinx's electric signal was coming from.

"(This way!)" He bounded off deeper into the forest, Ash, Nikki and Buneary following shortly after. It took them a few minutes, and they almost lost track of Pikachu a couple of times, but they finally emerged in a rather large clearing. The minute we did though…

"(Incoming!)" Pikachu's warning came in time for all of them to jumped out of the way of a stream of electricity.

"What in Mew's name was that?" Nikki shouted.

"I think that was a Charge Beam!" Ash clarified. "But where did it come from?" Seconds later the Shinx came into view, glaring at them.

"(She must have done that,)" Buneary guessed.

"So that Shinx can use Spark and Charge Beam? Now I have to catch her!" Nikki declared. "You ready to try again, Buneary?"

"(Oh yeah!)" With an excited bounce in her step Buneary prepared to square off against the Shinx yet again.

"(Why are you even trying? It'll just end the same way it did last time,)" the Shinx stated matter-of-factly.

"(Won't really know that until I try,)" Buneary countered. The Shinx merely smirked at Buneary.

"(Very well. Don't say I didn't warn you,)" the Shinx warned. The two Pokémon prepared to square off, each one looking for the other to make the first move.

"Okay, Buneary! Let's start off with…" Before Nikki could finish her command a pair of hands shot out of nowhere and grabbed Buneary and Shinx.

"Buneary, no!" Nikki shouted. Before anyone could come to their aid a third hand appeared and grabbed Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Alright, what's going on?" Nikki demanded. The answer came in the form of sinister laughter and a familiar motto.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash yelled. Looking up the two trainers saw Team Rocket's Meowth balloon hovering overhead.

"Can't you three find someone else to torment?" Nikki complained.

"Oh don't worry. Now that we have your Pokémon we won't be bothering you two anymore," Jessie stated. Three metal arms were coming out from a hatch on the bottom of the basket, and at the end of those arms were hands that currently held Pikachu, Buneary and Shinx.

"(Let go!)" Pikachu demanded.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"(Nikki, help!)" Buneary cried.

"Hold on, Buneary!" Nikki shouted.

"(Release me at once!)" Shinx demanded.

"Complain all you want! We ain't letting you go!" Meowth declared.

"We'll see about that!" Ash shouted. "Cyndaquil! Bayleef! I choose you!" Seconds later the two Johto Pokémon stood before Ash.

"Flamethrower!" Ash instructed.

"(One Flamethrower coming up!)" Cyndaquil complied. He took a deep breath and spat out a powerful stream of fire, burning through the metal arms and freeing the captive Pokémon. With nothing holding them up gravity took over as the trio fell towards the ground.

"Catch them with Vine Whip, Bayleef!" Ash said.

"(Right away!)" She quickly produced two vines that snagged Pikachu and Buneary before they hit the ground. Unfortunately that left Shinx alone to continue to fall.

"(Oh no!)" the Flash Pokémon cried.

"I've got you, Shinx!" Nikki shouted. With an incredible burst of speed she ran towards the falling Shinx and dove for her, catching her right before she made contact with the ground.

"Are… Are you alright?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"(Y-Yeah… I-I'm fine,)" Shinx stuttered, still a bit shaken up by what just happened.

"That's a relief," Nikki sighed.

"Hey! We stole those Pokémon fair and square!" Meowth griped as Team Rocket's balloon landed. Hearing this Nikki glared at the trio.

"You bozos! You really could have hurt Shinx with that stunt!" she chastised.

"If you twerps hadn't interfered that wouldn't have happened!" Jessie retorted.

"Maybe if you wouldn't try to steal our Pokémon we wouldn't have to stop you!" Nikki countered.

"This ain't getting us nowhere! Let's just battle them and take their Pokémon!" Meowth suggested.

"Fine by me. Seviper, get them!" Jessie shouted.

"Go, Carnevine!" James added. Both Pokémon appeared from their Poké Balls, though seconds later Carnevine promptly turned around and clamped down on James's head.

"Go get them, not me!" James whined, throwing Carnevine back down towards the battlefield.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Jessie ordered.

"Use Bite, Carnevine!" James instructed. They charged towards their targets, Seviper's bladed tail glowing purple and Carnevie's mouth opened wide.

"Bayleef, use Body Slam on Carnevine!" Ash shouted.

"Use Bounce on Seviper, Buneary!" Nikki added. Buneary bounced into the air while Bayleef used her vines to give herself a bit extra height to her jump. Once they reached their desired altitude both Pokémon came crashing down onto their opponents. Bayleef crushed Carnevine beneath her while Buneary planted both feet on Seviper's head before bouncing away. Needless to say both of Team Rocket's Pokémon were feeling the pain.

"Get up, Seviper!" Jessie demanded.

"Come on, Carnevine! Don't let those twerpy Pokémon get away with that!" James urged. Their Pokémon attempted to get to their feet, but Ash wasn't about to let that happen.

"Hit them with Quick Attack, Pikachu!" he shouted.

"(Don't blink! You might miss it!)" With speed that was almost too fast to see with the naked eye Pikachu sped towards the still-recovering Seviper and Carnevine and slammed into them with Quick Attack, sending the two Pokémon crashing into the basket of the balloon.

"And now to send them on their way!" Ash announced. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Bayleef, Razor Leaf! Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

"Don't forget about me! Use Hidden Power!" Nikki added. The four Pokémon fired their attacks at Team Rocket. Not wanting to be left out the Shinx added her Charge Beam to the assault.

"This is gonna hurt!" the bumbling trio screamed. The five attacks struck the balloon, detonating it in a massive explosion that sent Jessie, James and Meowth hurtling through the air.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried as they disappeared over the horizon.

"And that takes care of them," Ash declared.

"(For now,)" Pikachu added. Meanwhile Nikki and Buneary were with Shinx, making sure she was unharmed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nikki asked.

"(Yeah, I'm fine,)" Shinx told her. "(Um… thanks for saving me back there.)"

"Hey, I wasn't about to just stand there and let you get hurt even if you aren't my Pokémon," Nikki explained. Hearing this shocked Shinx a bit. She had no idea there were humans who cared about Pokémon whether they were wild or not.

"Is everyone okay?" Ash inquired.

"Yup. Everyone's fine," Nikki reported.

"That's good," Ash said. "Bayleef, Cyndaquil, thanks."

"(Anytime,)" Cyndaquil said.

"(We're always happy to help,)" Bayleef added. With a smile Ash returned them to their Poké Balls.

"Well, I guess it's time for us to get moving," Nikki said. "Take care of yourself, Shinx."

"What? You mean you're not going to try and catch her?" Ash questioned.

"After everything's that's just happened I think she deserves a break," Nikki explained.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ash agreed. With their Pokémon in tow the two trainers began walking away. However…

"(Wait!)" They turned around to hear what Shinx had to say.

"(I'd like to join you on your quest,)" she said. This caught them by surprise.

"R-Really?" Nikki stuttered.

"(Yeah, but first I want to see how good you are,)" Shinx announced, taking a battle stance. Nikki's eyes went from surprised to focused in a split second.

"If it's a battle you want then it's a battle you'll get!" she declared. "Let's go, Buneary!" The Rabbit Pokémon bounded out to face Shinx.

"Good luck, you two!" Ash called.

"(You can do it!)" Pikachu added.

"Okay, let's start off with Hidden Power!" Nikki shouted. Seconds later Buneary was surrounded by the glowing white orbs from her Hidden Power.

"(Catch this!)" she challenged before sending the attack at Shinx. The Flash Pokémon smirked right before her body tensed, small streaks of electricity dancing over her.

"Watch it! She's using Charge!" Ash warned. Unfortunately there was nothing Nikki or Buneary could do. As soon as the Hidden Power reached Shinx she unleashed her Spark attack and charged, tearing through the Hidden Power.

"Quick, Buneary, use Charm!" Nikki shouted.

"There's not enough time!" Ash shouted. He was too late, for seconds later Buneary tried to charm the charging Shinx. Unfortunately Shinx was too close for the attack to take effect. Shinx's attack hit full-force, knocking Buneary to the ground hard.

"No, Buneary!" Nikki cried.

"Spark hits hard enough, but with Charge adding to its power the attack was even stronger," Ash observed.

"(That Shinx is crafty,)" Pikachu commented.

"That she is," Ash agreed. The two continued to look on, eager to see how Nikki and Buneary would recover.

"Come on, Buneary! I know you can beat her!" Nikki cheered. Though she was still recovering from Shinx's super-charged Spark Buneary managed to get to her feet.

"(It's… not over… yet,)" she gasped. "(I've… still got… some tricks… up… my sleeve.)"

"(Then you'd better be ready to use them!)" Shinx challenged. She then fired her Charge Beam at the tired Buneary.

"Tell Buneary to dodge, Nikki!" Ash shouted. But the young coordinator had other ideas.

"Hidden Power!" Nikki instructed. The orbs once again began forming around Buneary. Moments later Buneary hurled the attack at the incoming Charge Beam. The Hidden power did nothing but swirl around the powerful Electric attack, adding that much more destructive power to it.

"What are you doing, Nikki? Wasn't that Charge Beam bad enough on its own?" Ash shouted, questioning the girl's logic.

"Just wait. I know what I'm doing," she told him rather calmly. He wasn't sure about that, but rather than argue Ash decided to do as she asked and wait. By now the Charge Beam was almost on top of Buneary.

"Now send it back with Jump Kick!" Nikki instructed. Buneary leaped towards the Charge Beam/Hidden Power combo attack and delivered an accurate Jump Kick. The kick deflected the attack right back at Shinx, who wasn't expecting this at all.

"(What the?)" she gasped. That was all she got out before the combo attack hit. The two attacks exploded on contact with her, sending her tumbling across the ground.

"Poké Ball, go!" Nikki shouted. Without wasting any time she hurled an empty Poké Ball at the weakened Shinx. The ball struck, turning Shinx into red energy before sucking her inside. Now the waiting game began as Nikki watched the red light on the front of the Poké Ball continually blink.

"Come on… stay in… stay in," she pleaded. The blinking continued for a few more seconds before finally stopping, signaling that Shinx had been successfully captured.

"We… did it. We did it. We really did it!" Nikki cheered. "We caught our first Pokémon!"

"(Alright!)" Buneary joined in.

"Congratulations, Nikki," Ash said.

"(We knew you could do it,)" Pikachu praised.

"Thanks, guys," Nikki said. She then walked over and picked up Shinx's Poké Ball. She held it in her hand and just stared at it, still in shock that she was able to catch her.

"Look at it, Buneary… the first Pokémon we've ever captured," Nikki sighed.

"(Hopefully the first of many,)" Buneary said.

"Yeah," Nikki agreed. With Nikki and Buneary's first successful capture things are certainly looking up for the group.

* * *

The day ends with Nikki adding a new member to the family. This, of course, is the first of many new members that she and Ash will encounter. Who will be the next new family member? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	8. Minor Dispute

**Chapter 8: Minor Dispute**

With Nikki's first Pokémon Contest in Miyasa Town only a few short days away and Ash's first Gym battle shortly after that the two trainers decided to stop for a very important training session.

"Okay, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash instructed. With a loud cry Pikachu launched his trademark Electric attack at his target and sparring partner Pidgeot.

"Okay, now dodge just like I explained!" Ash shouted. Pidgeot nodded and waited for the attack to get close enough. Just when it looked like Pikachu would score a direct hit Pidgeot began to spin. The swirling air generated from the spin caused the Thunderbolt to veer off-course a miss Pidgeot entirely.

"Alright! It worked!" Ash cheered. Pikachu cheered as well as both of them waited for Pidgeot to land. When he did Ash addressed both Pokémon.

"That was perfect, you two. I'm really proud," Ash said.

"(I knew we could pull it off,)" Pikachu bragged.

"(It is a very effective dodging technique, one I feel will be useful in future battles,)" Pidgeot commented.

"Right, but if we really want this to be as effective as possible we'll have to get everyone to perfect it," Ash explained. "It's going to be tough, but I know we can do it." Both Pokémon nodded in agreement with their trainer.

"Okay, you two! Let's try it again!" The three of them glanced over at Nikki as she, Buneary and Shinx practiced for their first contest.

"Start off with Charge, Shinx!" Nikki instructed.

"(Okay!)" Moments later the Flash Pokémon's body began to spark, her Charge taking effect.

"Okay, now hold that! Buneary, use Hidden Power!" Nikki said.

"(Okay! You ready, Shinx?)" Buneary called. Shinx nodded, letting Buneary know she was ready. With her partner ready Buneary powered up Hidden Power, the floating white orbs circling her moments later.

"(Here it comes!)" she announced right before sending the attack towards Shinx. When the attack reached her they became attracted by the electricity from Shinx's Charge. Soon they began circling her similar to moons orbiting a planet.

"Alright, looking good!" Nikki cheered. Shinx began to feel a sense of pride at doing good, but the minute that happened she began to lose her concentration. Shortly after she started losing control of her Charge attack, and at the same time the Hidden Power.

"Whoa, look out!" Nikki warned. But by then it was too late. No matter how much she concentrated Shinx couldn't regain control of the two attacks. Eventually the Hidden Power orbs began to collide with each other, creating explosions around the Flash Pokémon.

"No, Shinx!" Nikki shouted.

"Look out!" Ash called. Soon the explosions completely engulfed Shinx, blanketing her in a cloud of smoke and dust.

"Shinx? Shinx, answer me! Shinx!" Nikki called. The smoke was slowly clearing, but Nikki refused to wait any longer. She rushed towards the cloud, hoping to find her Pokémon unharmed. Thankfully other than a few minor scrapes Shinx was unharmed.

"Are you okay?" Nikki asked, her voice filled with concern.

"(Yeah… I'm fine,)" Shinx replied.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Nikki asked, wanting to be sure.

"(Believe me, the only thing that's hurt is my pride,)" Shinx grumbled. Nikki let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

"Well we can repair your injured pride easily by winning our first contest," Nikki declared.

"That's the spirit!" Ash cheered. "You have to keep a positive outlook if you want to win."

"Yeah," Nikki agreed. "So, which way do we go now?"

"Huh?" Ash asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"I said which way do we go," Nikki repeated.

"I don't know. Don't you have the map?" Ash asked.

"No. I gave it to you," Nikki said.

"I don't have it," Ash declared.

"What do you mean you don't have it? I gave it to you before we started training!" Nikki yelled.

"You couldn't have because I don't have it!" Ash argued.

"Well this is just great! Thanks to you we're lost!" Nikki griped.

"Hold on! How is this my fault?" Ash demanded.

"Because you lost the map, that's how!" Nikki told him.

"I didn't lose anything!" Ash retorted. Off to she side the Pokémon could see where this was going.

"(Oh boy… here we go again,)" Pikachu sighed. "(Ash always was too headstrong for his own good, and it looks like Nikki is the same way.)"

"(It certainly looks that way,)" Buneary agreed. Pidgeot and Shinx remained quiet as they all watched Ash and Nikki go back and forth with their argument. The longer it went on the more heated it got until finally…

"That does it! You can just try and find your way out alone!" Nikki yelled. "Buneary! Shinx! Let's go!" Shinx was a bit startled but followed anyway.

"(I'll try to calm her down,)" Buneary said before following as well.

"Fine! Just don't come crying back to me when you get even more lost than you already are!" Ash retorted. As they watched Nikki and her Pokémon leave Pikachu and Pidgeot were left to try and calm Ash down.

"Man… just what was her deal?" Ash wondered.

"(You know, you could have handled that better,)" Pidgeot commented.

"(Yeah. I mean, maybe you could have checked and seen if she did give you the map,)" Pikachu suggested. By now Ash had calmed down and realized that, just as his Pokémon had said, he could have handled that much better than he did.

"Maybe," he sighed. While the three of them sat there they were unknowingly being spied on. Hidden in the trees along the edge of the clearing was the mischievous trio of Jessie, James and Meowth.

"Looks like there's trouble in twerp paradise," Jessie commented.

"This could work to our advantage," James added. "With the two of them bickering it'll be easy for us to swoop in and snatch their Pokémon."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's get snatching," Jessie said. She and James were ready to ambush Ash when Meowth stopped them.

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed.

"What are you doing, Meowth? Can't you see the twerp is ripe for the Pika-picking?" Jessie complained.

"Yeah, but that's what we always think right before taking a one-way trip on a Pikachu Thunderbolt," Meowth pointed out.

"That is true," James begrudgingly agreed.

"Which is why I think we should go after the weak link," Meowth suggested.

"The twerpette?" Jessie questioned.

"Think about it. She's a rookie trainer with only two Pokémon. We can take her with our eyes closed," Meowth bragged.

"When you put it that way we can't lose," James said.

"You know, for once I have to agree with you two," Jessie said. With the three of them in agreement they quickly and quietly slipped back into the forest, looking to ambush an unsuspecting Nikki.

* * *

Elsewhere Nikki had put quite a bit of distance between herself and Ash. She was still upset about the argument the two of them had earlier.

"Who does he think he is? Just because he's traveled all over the world doesn't mean he can just blame me for us getting lost!" she fumed. Following behind her were Buneary and Shinx, who looked at their trainer with concern. They had no idea who was truly at fault, but they did not want to see Nikki and Ash at odds as they were now.

"(I wish there was something we could do to get them back to being friends again,)" Shinx whispered.

"Me too, but right now we need to make sure she doesn't travel too far away from him so we can get them back to being friends again,)" Buneary replied. While the two of them were talking Nikki suddenly came to a stop. When Buneary and Shinx stopped she turned to them.

"Guys… I think it might be best if we try traveling alone for a bit," she announced. Both Pokémon were shocked by her sudden announcement. Though they hadn't know Ash or his Pokémon for that long they had grown to like him and didn't want to end their friendship on a sour note.

"(I don't know, Nikki. Don't you think you're being a bit hasty here,)" Buneary warned.

"No… well… I don't know… maybe…" Now that she had calmed down and was able to think clearly she was beginning to see that perhaps she did act a bit too hastily.

"(Nikki? You okay?)" Shinx called, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm good," she replied. "Why don't we stop for a little snack." Neither Buneary or Shinx had any objections to that idea. Nikki set her bag down and reached in for some of the snacks that had been packed. As she looked around she saw something that made her eyes go wide.

"No way… that can't be…" She pulled it out and saw herself holding onto the very map she claimed to have given to Ash earlier.

"(Nikki… is that…)" Buneary questioned.

"I… I think I made a huge mistake," she gasped. "Oh man… I have to go apologize to Ash."

"You won't be doing any of that." Immediately Nikki and her Pokémon turned towards the sound of the voice.

"Who's there?" Nikki demanded. Moments later the familiar trio appeared in the clearing, reciting their motto.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Oh, it's just you three," she sighed. The three were outraged at being brushed off in that manner.

"How dare you overlook the mighty Team Rocket like we're some second-rate trainers!" Jessie fumed.

"Second-rate? Please, you guys are barely even third-rate trainers," Nikki spat.

"Well then you'll have the displeasure of having your Pokémon taken from you by 'third-rate trainers'," James announced.

"That's not going to happen!" Nikki declared. "Buneary! Shinx! Get ready for battle!"

"(Way ahead of you!)" Buneary shouted.

"(Let's take them down!)" Shinx added.

"Like that'll happen," Jessie spat. "Seviper, get them!"

"You too, Carnivine!" James added. Their Pokémon appeared moments later, but upon appearing Carnivine turned around and bit down on James's head.

"If you want to take a bite out of something then take it out of them!" James shrieked, throwing his Pokémon back out onto the battlefield.

"Let's get this battle going! Buneary, Hidden Power! Shinx, Charge Beam!" Nikki instructed.

"Seviper, use Haze!" Jessie ordered.

"Carnivine, Bullet Seed!" James added. All four Pokémon fired their attacks. This resulted in a large explosion that blanketed the area in a thick cloud of smoke and dust.

* * *

Meanwhile Ash, Pikachu and Pidgeot were still at the clearing where Ash and Nikki had been training before their argument. The mood hadn't improved much since then, and both Pikachu and Pidgeot were beginning to worry about Nikki.

"(She's been gone a long time,)" Pikachu commented. "(What if she ran into some trouble.)"

"(She has Buneary and Shinx with her, but I share your concern,)" Pidgeot said. "(Perhaps we should look for her.)" Pikachu nodded in agreement. They were about to inform Ash of their concerns when the Pallet Town trainer turned towards them.

"Come on. We're going to go look for Nikki," he announced. "I want to make sure she's okay… and apologize for earlier." A wave of relief washed over Pikachu and Pidgeot. The fact that Ash was willing to apologize whether the incident was his fault or not showed just how mature he was becoming. Just as the three of them were about to set off in search of their companions they felt an explosion off in the distance.

"What was that?" Ash yelled.

"(Look at that!)" Pikachu shouted. Off in the distance smoke billowed up from behind the trees, giving the three of them cause for concern.

"(What if Nikki and her Pokémon are over there!)" Pikachu said. That was all the reason Ash needed to investigate.

"Come on! Pikachu may be right about Nikki being over there!" he said. While Ash started running in the direction of the smoke Pikachu jumped onto Pidgeot.

"(We'll fly on ahead!)" the Electric Mouse shouted.

"I'll meet you there!" Ash replied. The two Pokémon took to the skies, hoping that if Nikki and her Pokémon were there they weren't in any danger.

* * *

The smoke eventually cleared, showing that all four Pokémon ready to continue.

"Seviper, use Poison Tail!" Jessie ordered.

"Carnivine, Bite!" James instructed. Both Pokémon charged, Seviper's tail glowing purple and Carnivine's mouth opened wide.

"Buneary, use Bounce on Carnivine! Shinx, Charge Beam on Seviper!" Nikki shouted. Her Pokémon went into action. Buneary jumped out of the way of Carnivine's Bite and came down on his head, using him as a springboard to bounce high into the air.

"Now back-up Shinx's attack with Hidden Power!" Nikki instructed.

"(You got it!)" Buneary complied. She quickly charged up her attack and hurled it down at Seviper. The Hidden Power made contact at the same time the Charge Beam did, engulfing Seviper in an explosion that dropped him instantly.

"Now send them back with a Spark and Dizzy Punch!" Nikki shouted. Buneary delivered a dizzying punch to Carnivine while Shinx slammed into Seviper, her body sparking with electricity. Both defeated Pokémon landed right at the Rocket's feet.

"My Carnivine!" James cried.

"You'll pay for that, twerp!" Jessie growled.

"Put it on my tab," Nikki said. "Okay, let's send them on their way. Use Hidden Power and Charge Beam, you two!"

"(One power-packed blast-off coming right up!)" Buneary announced. She once again powered up her Hidden Power and hurled it at the Rockets. At the same time Shinx fired off a concentrated beam of electricity.

"Not this time! Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat!" Jessie demanded. Her Psychic type appeared before them and began to glow white. The two attacks hit him, but instead of damaging the Pokémon they were sent right back at Buneary and Shinx.

"Look out!" Nikki warned. Unfortunately the attacks were traveling too fast for them to move. They were ironically struck down by their own attacks.

"No!" Nikki cried. Across from her the trio of miscreants laughed maniacally.

"That's what happens to those who oppose Team Rocket!" Jessie declared.

"And now your Pokémon belong to us!" Meowth added.

"Not a chance!" Nikki argued.

"Oh yeah? How do you plan to stop us?" Meowth questioned. By now both Seviper and Carnivine had recovered and were standing next to their trainers.

"Okay, you two! Go get those Pokémon for us!" Jessie ordered.

"(At once,)" Seviper complied. As he and Carnivine headed towards the downed Pokémon Nikki put herself between them.

"I won't let you take them!" she declared.

"Get her out of the way, Carnivine!" James ordered. Carnivine opened his mouth and spat a Bullet Seed volley at the girl, forcing her to jump to the side to dodge.

"(N-Nikki!)" Buneary shouted. She and Shinx tried to stand up to help her, but Team Rocket wasn't about to let that happen.

"Stop them with Haze, Seviper!" Jessie ordered.

"And you use Bullet Seed, Carnivine!" James added. Their Pokémon carried out their orders. Seviper blanketed Buneary and Shinx with a thick Haze cloud while Carnivine bombarded them with Bullet Seed. When the assault ended both Pokémon were in bad shape.

"And now, we'll be taking them," Jessie declared.

"No, you can't!" Nikki protested.

"Face it, girly! You can't stop us!" Meowth declared. "In fact there's no one here who can stop us!" Just when it looked like Meowth's proclamation was true a bolt of lightning streaked down from above and struck Seviper and Carnivine, stopping them in their tracks.

"Hey, where did that come from?" Jessie shrieked. Moments later a shadow passed over head. The next thing they knew Pikachu and Pidgeot landed in front of Nikki.

"Pikachu! Pidgeot!" Nikki cheered.

"(Good thing we decided to go ahead,)" Pidgeot said.

"(We should have known that you three were behind this!)" Pikachu stated.

"Wait! Where's Ash?" Nikki asked. Then, almost as if on cue, Ash appeared from the forest and ran to Nikki's side.

"You okay?" he inquired.

"Yeah. You got here just in time," she told him.

"Oh, great! Now we got the main twerp to contend with too!" Meowth complained.

"No matter! We'll beat them both and take their Pokémon!" Jessie declared. "Yanmega, front and center!" The Ogre Darner Pokémon appeared from her Poké Ball moments later, hovering over the defeated pair of Seviper and Carnivine.

"We don't have time to waste on you three," Ash said. "Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" As soon as the Fire Mouse Pokémon appeared from his Poké Ball he spewed flames, hitting Yanmega and blasting her into Team Rocket and their balloon. The gases from the balloon ignited, creating a massive explosion that sent the evil doers hurtling through the air.

"No! Why is it that whenever we have something going our way this always happens?" Jessie cried.

"Maybe we need to look for a new line of work!" James suggested.

"Hey, nothing's going to tear me away from Team Rocket or a place on the Boss's lap!" Meowth yelled.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they screamed, fading in the distance.

"Oh man… I hope we don't have to constantly deal with things like this," Nikki sighed.

"Try putting up with them for seven years," Ash offered.

"No thanks. I'll pass," Nikki commented. The two trainers chuckled a bit before Ash started speaking once again.

"Listen, Nikki… about earlier…"

"You don't have to say anything, Ash," Nikki interrupted. "In fact, I should be the one apologizing. I… found the map. It was in my backpack. I'm sorry for accusing you of getting us lost." Apologizing like that took a huge weight off her chest, but then she felt Ash's hand on her shoulder.

"I'm glad we were able to clear that up. I don't want us to have our friendship end over something as silly as this," Ash admitted.

"Me neither," Nikki agreed with a smile.

"Besides, I think our Pokémon would like it if we stayed traveling partners too." Looking over the Pokémon all of them nodded in agreement with Ash. Then, Ash noticed something strange happening to Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, what's wrong?" he asked.

"(Ash… I feel funny,)" he squeaked. Moments later his body gave off a blinding white glow.

"Cyndaquil!" Ash shouted.

"He's… evolving!" Nikki gasped. From within the light they could see Cyndaquil's body begin to change. He grew longer, his body taking on a lean shape. His snout also became more rounded in contrast to its pointed shape. When the light faded Cyndaquil had evolved into Quilava.

"Alright! I've got a Quilava!" Ash cheered. He took out his Pokédex and immediately scanned him.

**Quilava, the Volcano Pokémon and the evolved form of Cyndaquil. Quilava are fully covered by nonflammable fur. It can withstand any kind of fire attack.**

"Wow… that's amazing," Nikki gasped, in awe of Ash's new Pokémon.

"Alright! With you on our team our chances of winning the Legenda League are that much better!" Ash cheered. "We'll be counting on you, Quilava."

"(No problem! Just leave it to me!)" Quilava boasted.

"Well then, let's get going," Ash said. He recalled Quilava and Pidgeot while Nikki recalled Shinx. After Pikachu and Buneary took their places on their respective trainer's shoulders the group resumed their journey towards Miyasa Town, this time sure of which direction to go.

* * *

Though things may have started off a bit rough Ash and Nikki's friendship grew stronger. And with Cyndaquil evolving into Quilava Ash's Pokémon team has gotten stronger as well. What new challenges await them on the road ahead? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	9. Love at First Fight

**Chapter 9: Love at First Fight**

"Alright! We finally made it!" It may have taken them a bit longer than expected, but the group finally arrived at Miyasa Town where Nikki's first Pokémon Contest was scheduled to take place.

"So this Is Miyasa Town," Ash commented. Looking around the town reminded Ash a lot of Pallet Town. The buildings were mostly small homes with a few businesses scattered here and there. The on building that stood out was the huge dome where the Pokémon Contest would be held.

"I guess the first thing we should do is get you registered," Ash suggested.

"And the sooner I do the sooner I can get to work on my Contest moves," Nikki added. Their destination clear the two trainers and their Pokémon entered the city on their way to get Nikki registered at the Pokémon Contest hall. Unknown to them, though, the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth had been listening in.

"So, they have Pokémon Contests in Legenda too," Jessie commented.

"Don't tell me you're going to enter," Meowth complained.

"After I came so close in Sinnoh, you bet I'm going to enter, and this time nothing's going to stop me from winning!" Jessie declared. Both he and James let out long sighs.

"Looks like our budget's going to be spent on her contest dreams again," Meowth groaned.

"Seems that way," James agreed. "I just hope Jessie remembers that we have other needs besides those related to Pokémon Contests."

"It won't be 'Jessie' that's competing." The two of them turned around and were shocked by what they saw. Jessie had changed out of her Team Rocket uniform and into a purple dress that went down to her ankles with matching heels. The dress had a slit up the left side that went up to her hip. She also wore a pair of black silk gloves that went up to her elbows and a small pearl necklace. Her hair, normally in an arching curve behind her, now flowed loosely down her back. To finish off her look she had a masquerade mask shaped like a Delcatty covering her face.

"When I'm competing you shall address me as Lady Jessica," Jessie demanded.

"Where did you get the money for that getup?" Meowth questioned.

"That's not important. What is important is that I register and prepare for my contest debut." Brimming with confidence Jessie made her way towards the Contest hall, leaving James and Meowth to wonder how she was able to afford that outfit.

"Hey James, remember when I said we didn't have that much money when we came here? How much do you want to be that's why," Meowth commented.

"There's no doubt in my mind," James sighed. With an audible groan the two of them followed Jessie.

* * *

Ash and Nikki arrived at the Contest hall within minutes. To their surprise the registration desk only had a couple of coordinators registering.

"I was expecting a lot more coordinators to be here," Ash commented.

"Well, the contest is still a few days away so that may be why there aren't that many coordinators here yet," Nikki guessed.

"I suppose," Ash agreed. "Speaking of which you should go ahead and register." Nikki nodded in agreement and approached the registration desk where the local Nurse Joy was handling the registrations.

"Hello. Are you here to register for the contest?" she inquired.

"I am," Nikki answered.

"Alright. I'll just need some identification," Nurse Joy said.

"Will my Pokédex do?" Nikki asked.

"That'll be perfect." Nikki handed Nurse Joy her Pokédex and watched as she insert it into a slot in the computer she was sitting at. Seconds later the Pokédex was ejected.

"Okay, you've been registered," Nurse Joy announced as she gave Nikki her Pokédex back. "You can enter any Pokémon Contest here in the Legenda region. Now you are aware that all Contests will be performed using the doubles format?"

"I'm aware," Nikki answered.

"Then it sounds like you're all set," Nurse Joy commented. "Good luck."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Nikki said. "Okay, Buneary. You ready to get some practice in?"

"(You bet!)" the Rabbit Pokémon cheered.

"And we'll be there to help you," Ash said.

"(That's right,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks, you guys," Nikki said. With a few days until the contest Nikki was eager to get to work on the routine that would hopefully earn her her first ribbon and get her one step closer to the Grand Festival.

* * *

"Okay, let's try it one more time!" Since registering for the Pokémon Contest Nikki had been hard at work. She, Buneary and Shinx had been putting in a lot of effort as they tried to get the timing down on their routine. Ash and Pikachu had been there to offer any assistance they could.

"Okay, Shinx. Use Charge!" Nikki instructed. Shinx began charging up power, sparks slowly beginning to dance over her body.

"Okay, now hold that Charge," Nikki said. "Buneary, Hidden Power!" Buneary threw her Hidden Power at Shinx, hoping that their combination would finally work. The Hidden Power reached Shinx and began circling the Flash Pokémon, just as they had hoped.

"Looking good, guys!" Ash cheered.

"Okay, now use Spark," Nikki instructed.

"(Alright,)" Shinx said. They were all confident that this would work, but immediately after using Spark Shinx lost control of the combination. The Hidden Power orbs were sent hurtling all over the place.

"Oh no! Heads up!" Nikki shouted. Everyone ducked for cover as the Hidden Power shot off everywhere.

"Abra, use Psychic." As the attack continued to go out of control an Abra appeared out of nowhere and began using Psychic. Almost immediately the orbs took on a bluish glow and stopped in mid-air. Moments later they shot into the air and collided, creating a stunning fireworks display.

"Whoa… who did that?" Nikki wondered.

"I did." The group turned towards the voice and saw a young man approaching them. He looked to be around Ash's age, dressed in a light blue suit. Standing by his side was a Tyrogue.

"I hope no one was harmed," he said.

"We're fine," Nikki said. "Thank you." Upon receiving the praise he waved his hand.

"There's no need to thank me," he responded. "Oh, but where are my manners? I'm Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you," Nikki said. "I'm Nikki, and this is Ash."

"Hi," Ash greeted.

"A pleasure," Maxwell replied.

"You know, I was really impressed with what your Abra did. It's obvious you've trained him well," Ash complimented.

"Thank you. I just care for him and my other Pokémon like a trainer should," he replied. "I'm sure it's the same way with you and your Pikachu there."

"It is, though half the time he's taking care of me," Ash admitted.

"(You got that right,)" Pikachu joked.

"Hey, you weren't supposed to agree with me," Ash complained. Both he and Pikachu got a good laugh out of that exchange. During this Nikki was making sure Buneary and Shinx were unharmed.

"You two okay?" she asked.

"(A bit shaken up, but other than that we're fine,)" Buneary said.

"That's good," Nikki said.

"(What went wrong, though? I was sure se had it that time,)" Shinx wondered.

"Good question. I don't have any idea why that combination went wrong," Nikki answered.

"Perhaps I can provide you with an answer," Maxwell offered.

"Sure, if you think it'll help," Nikki replied.

"Well, from what I could tell you wanted to have your Buneary's Hidden Power orbit around your Shinx while she used Spark, correct?" he assumed.

"That's correct. You see, I had Shinx use Charge to start the process, and then, once the orbs were circling her, I wanted her to use Spark to give them a blue glow like her Spark attack," Nikki explained. As she explained Maxwell listened attentively, taking in every possible detail.

"I see… from what I can gather it seems as though you built up too much power using Charge," he announced.

"Too much power? Really?" Nikki questioned.

"Oh yes. In order to execute a combination like the one you're attempting a delicate balance between power and finesse must be found. Too much power and you risk losing control, but not enough and it'll fall apart before it can be fully executed," he explained.

"So if I want this to work I've got to strike the perfect balance between finesse and power? Oh boy… this is going to be harder than I thought," Nikki sighed.

"Do not fret. I shall assist you," Maxwell offered.

"Hey, we'll help too," Ash added.

"Thanks, you guys," Nikki said. The three of them then proceeded to help Nikki pull off her Contest combination.

* * *

"Alright, you've been registered," Nurse Joy said, handing Jessie her fake ID back. "Now you do know all Contests in Legenda will be performed using the doubles format?"

"Really? I wasn't aware of that," Jessie said.

"That's how all Contests are done in Legenda. The Contest committee believe it will add a new level of excitement to the Contests," Nurse Joy explained.

"I see. Thank you for telling me," Jessie said.

"You're welcome, and good luck in the contest," Nurse Joy said.

"Thank you, though luck won't be needed with my skills," Jessie replied. After registering she walked back over to where James and Meowth were waiting.

"Alright, I'm ready," she announced.

"Finally. Now let's go find the twerps and get to work," Meowth said. He and James headed for the door, but Jessie remained behind. Once they realized she wasn't following the two of them stopped and turned around.

"What are you waiting for, and invitation?" Meowth complained.

"Sorry, but you and James will have to do this on your own," Jessie announced.

"What?" the two males shouted.

"I've got more important things to worry about," Jessie informed them.

"Like what?" James demanded.

"Like making sure I'm ready to dazzle my audience in the contest. Ta-ta!" And with that Jessie left the contest hall to practice, leaving James and Meowth to carry out the usual Team Rocket duties.

"Great… now what do we do?" James wondered.

"We don't nee Jess to pull this off! We're more than capable of doing this on our own!" Meowth declared. After hearing how confident the Scratch Cat Pokémon sounded James began to feel the same confidence.

"You know what… you're right! All Jessie would do is mess things up!" James stated.

"That's the spirit! Now let's go relieve those twerps of their Pokémon." The two of them headed out to find Ash and Nikki, intent on succeeding without Jessie's help.

* * *

"Yes, that's it! You've got it!" With Maxwell's assistance Nikki had made great progress in perfecting her Contest routine. Shinx had managed to find the perfect balance between power and finesse and was currently holding the orbiting Hidden Power using her Spark attack.

"You're looking good, Shinx!" Nikki cheered.

"(At this rate that ribbon is as good as ours!)" the Flash Pokémon stated.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We don't know what the other coordinators have planned," Nikki said.

"I don't think it'll matter. You got this contest in the bag," Ash said.

"(Ash's right. There's no way you're going to lose,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Nikki said. Maxwell silently observed, an unnoticeable smirk on his face.

"_She's good, but I wouldn't declare her the winner just yet,"_ he thought. While the three of them were occupied with Nikki's training James and Meowth watched from within the nearby bushes.

"Look at that. There's a new twerp with them," Meowth pointed out as he spotted Maxwell with Ash and Nikki.

"Not only that but he has some nice Pokémon with him," James added as he looked at Tyrogue and Abra. "I say we pilfer those as well as the usual twerp line-up."

"I like how you think, Jimmy-boy," Meowth commented. The two snuck off to prepare for their attack while Ash, Nikki and Maxwell remained completely unaware.

"Alright, that was great," Nikki praised. "Now, I want to try something different. This time, I want you to…" Before she could finish five hands shot out from the trees behind them, each one going for their Pokémon. Abra sensed the danger and managed to avoid it, but Pikachu, Buneary, Shinx and Tyrogue weren't as lucky.

"No, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary! Shinx!" Nikki cried.

"Tyrogue! What's going on?" Maxwell demanded. Shortly after a large machine walked into view. It was shaped like a Poké Ball with two short legs. Four arms protruded from its sides, each one holding one of their Pokémon. A fifth one was retracting back into the center of the robot.

"What in the world it that?" Maxwell asked. As soon as he asked that the top of the robot opened up, revealing a cockpit where James and Meowth were seen piloting it.

"Surprise, twerps!" Meowth shouted.

"Oh come on! Not you guys again!" Nikki griped.

"Who are they?" Maxwell wondered.

"Well, shall we tell them?" Meowth wondered.

"But how? Without Jessie the motto won't work," James responded.

"Of course it will," Meowth argued.

"But…"

"Trust me, it'll work," Meowth said.

"Well… alright," James relented. With Meowth's assurance it would turn out fine James began reciting their motto.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"My… that was a… rather interesting greeting," Maxwell commented. It was at this time that Ash and Nikki noticed something was amiss.

"Where's Jessie?" Ash inquired. "Is she waiting to ambush us and take the rest of our Pokémon?"

"Jessie's not here, and quite frankly we don't need her to pull this off," Meowth stated.

"As you can see we've managed to grab your Pokémon without her help," James added.

"Not for long! Now give them back!" Ash demanded.

"Not a chance, twerp!" Meowth replied. "We've got them and we aren't giving them back!"

"Even though that Abra did get away four out of five isn't bad," James commented.

"Well you won't be leaving here with anything!" Ash declared. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"(Right!)" Pikachu began charging up his electricity, but right as he was about to release it Nikki shouted for him to stop.

"If you do that you'll end up hurting the others as well!" she warned. Ash groaned. That was something he hadn't considered.

"Well well… looks like we've got you twerps in a bind," Meowth commented.

"In that case let us take our prize and leave," James suggested. Just as the duo made an attempt to flee Maxwell and Abra sprang into action.

"Stop them with Psychic!" he ordered.

"(At once, sir!)" his Psychic type replied. His began to glow blue and, with a flick of his wrists, Team Rocket's machine was stopped in its tracks.

"Hey, what's going on?" Meowth shrieked.

"It's that Abra! He's using Psychic to keep us in place!" James reported.

"Well then, stop him!" Meowth ordered. Before James could do anything Ash tossed out one of his Poké Balls.

"We need you, Gible!" he shouted. The Land Shark Pokémon appeared moments later and awaited his instructions.

"We need you to free the others!" Ash told him.

"(No problem!)" Gible sprang into action the only way he knew how… with his mouth.

"(Lunch time!)" he roared as he bit into one of the metal arms. The arms offered little resistance as Gible's teeth tore through the metal, severing the hand from the arm. With nothing holding it closed Pikachu and the other Pokémon had no trouble breaking free.

"No! The Pokémon are loose!" Meowth screamed.

"That's not our only problem!" James cried. Apparently Gible wasn't done with the robot. His voracious appetite had him devouring the rest of it until only the cockpit remained.

"(Ah… *burp* Excuse me,)" Gible said once the robot was devoured.

"That little squirt ate our robot!" Meowth screeched.

"I think we should make him pay!" James suggested. "Carnivine! Front and center!" James's Bug Catcher Pokémon appeared from his Poké Ball and immediately turned around and bit down on his head.

"If you're going to take a bite out of someone make it them!" James yelled as he dislodged Carnivine from his head.

"Alright, Gible! You ready to battle?" Ash asked.

"(You bet!)" Gible replied. Just as they were about to engage in battle Nikki and Shinx stepped forward.

"I hope you don't mind if Shinx and I take this one," Nikki inquired. "It'll be good practice for the contest." Ash smiled and called off Gible.

"Be my guest," he offered.

"Not a smart move, twerp," James commented. "Carnivine, Bullet Seed!" The Grass type opened his mouth wide and fired off a volley of seed-like projectiles at Shinx.

"Blow them away with Charge Beam!" Nikki instructed. With a quick electric build-up Shinx was able to fire a Charge Beam that blasted away Carnivine's Bullet Seed.

"So, you think you're clever. Well, you're not!" James yelled. "Vine Whip!" With Bullet Seed not working Carnivine changed tactics, lashing out at Shinx with his vines.

"Dodge it!" Nikki called. Shinx yawned as she easily jumped over the vines, coming back down and smirking at the Bug Catcher Pokémon.

"(You missed me,)" she taunted.

"(Did I?)" Carnivine asked, smirking at her. Shinx didn't know what he meant, but before she could ask she felt his vines twining around her legs. Moments later she was lifted into the air.

"(Gotcha!)" Carnivine gloated.

"(Hey! Put me down!)" Shinx barked, struggling and squirming to get free.

"Don't let her go!" James ordered.

"(Don't plan on it!)" Carnivine replied. As Shinx struggled to get free Carnivine tightened his hold on her legs, making it that much more difficult for her to get free.

"Shinx is in trouble! We must assist her!" Maxwell shouted. "Come, Abra! Use…"

"No! We've got this!" Nikki interrupted. "Give him a taste of your Spark!" At first no one knew that Nikki's plan was, but as soon as Shinx used her attack they all realized. Because of the direct contact between Shinx and Carnivine the electricity from Spark traveled down the vines and shocked the Bug Catcher Pokémon, forcing him to release the Flash Pokémon.

"Okay, now let's send them packing!" Nikki suggested.

"(With pleasure!)" Shinx complied. As soon as she hit the ground she charged into Carnivine, her body still crackling with electricity from Spark. The impact sent the Bug Catcher Pokémon hurtling back into James and Meowth who were still sitting in the remains of the cockpit of their robot. The electrified Carnivine shocked everyone and everything he came in contact with, including the cockpit. After a while the cockpit exploded, sending James, Meowth and Carnivine hurtling through the sky.

"Even without Jessie we still can't win!" James cried.

"They had one more and we had one less! The odds were stacked against us the whole time!" Meowth complained.

"We're blasting off again!" the duo cried. Rather than disappearing over the horizon they came crashing down in a section of the forest quite a bit away from where Ash, Nikki and Maxwell were. To their surprise they found Jessie practicing with her Pokémon.

"Where did you come from?" she gasped.

"I think you know," Meowth groaned as he and James got to their feet.

"In any case I am now ready to make my Contest debut," Jessie declared. "Look out, Contest world! Lady Jessica is here to win!" As she boasted about her upcoming victory James and Meowth simply let out collective groans.

"_This won't end well," _they both thought.

* * *

"Way to go, Nikki!" Ash cheered once she and Shinx sent Team Rocket on their way. "You two looked amazing out there."

"(I'll say. They never stood a chance,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks," Nikki said. "We did good that time, but I think we could get even better before the day of the Contest. What do you two think?"

"(Absolutely!)" Buneary agreed.

"(The better we are, the better our chances are of winning the Contest!)" Shinx added.

"Well I certainly wish you luck," Maxwell said.

"Thanks. You never know. It could help." With the issue with Team Rocket now behind them Ash and Nikki recalled their Pokémon and headed towards the Pokémon Center. As they left Maxwell's eyes never left Nikki. Seeing this Tyrogue and Abra approached their trainer, noticing the far-away look in his eyes.

"(Maxwell… are you okay?)" Tyrogue questioned.

"I'm just fine," he sighed. "Guys… I think I'm in love."

* * *

With some help from a new friend Nikki not only managed to get her new Contest routine heading in the right direction but defeated Team Rocket in the process. Now, with the Contest in a few days, will Nikki be able to perfect her routine in time? Will Jessie win like she believes? And what will come of Maxwell's feelings for Nikki? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	10. Taking the First Step

**Chapter 10: Taking the First Step**

"Hello, Miyasa Town, and welcome to the inaugural Pokémon Contest of this new season!" The stands in the Contest Hall were filled to capacity. The opening Pokémon Contest of the new season brought with it promises of new and exciting appeals and battles, bringing the excitement up to a fever-pitch. Even though they were backstage watching from a monitor Ash and Pikachu could still feel the energy from the crowd.

"Man, they're just as excited about Contests here as they were back in Sinnoh," Ash commented.

"(You can say that again,)" Pikachu agreed.

"I wonder where Nikki is," Ash pondered.

"(I think she's still getting ready,)" Pikachu told him.

"Well she'd better hurry or the Contest will start without her," Ash commented.

"Sorry I'm late." Ash and Pikachu turned around once they heard Nikki's voice, but neither of them were expecting what they saw.

"Wow! You look great!" Ash commented.

"(I'll say!)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks, you two," Nikki said. She was wearing a sky blue dress that stopped right about her knees, matching blue heels and a white pearl necklace. Buneary was at her feet, her fur giving off a beautiful shine.

"You both look ready to go," Ash commented.

"I hope so," Nikki said. Right then their attention was drawn to the screen where the MC was preparing to introduce the judges.

"And now let's meet the judges!" she said. "First we have the Pokémon Contest director, Mr. Contesta!" A man in a red suit with dark gray hair stood up to greet the audience.

"Thank you! It's a pleasure to be here!" he said.

"Next we have the president of the Pokémon Fan Club, Mr. Sukizo!" she continued. Next to him a short brown haired man in a dark blue suit stood up.

"Thank you! Remarkable!" he said.

"And last but not least, we have Miyasa Town's very own Nurse Joy!" she finished. Just as the two before her Nurse Joy stood up and greeted the audience.

"I look forward to seeing all the performances!" she said.

"And I'm your host and MC for the evening, Christy!" the MC announced. "And this is the prize everyone will be competing for here today: the Miyasa Town Contest ribbon!" She held the ribbon high for everyone to see. The pendant was small and made from gold. It had a crowd emblem engraved in the center. The ribbon part was red with white borders. Nikki stared at the ribbon as if she was drawn to it.

"That ribbon… will be mine," she whispered.

"And now let's get this Contest started with our first coordinator!" Christy stepped to the side and allowed the first coordinator onto the stage.

"Let's have a warm welcome for the mysterious Lady Jessica!" The crowd applauded as Jessie appeared in her coordinator alter-ego.

"Thank you, thank you!" she said, blowing kisses to the audience. "And now, prepare to be dazzled! Yanmega! Wobbufett! Out you come!" He Poké Balls opened, releasing a flurry of pink hearts into the air. The hearts collected down on the floor and exploded, revealing both Yanmega and Wobbuffet.

"Let's start off with Silver Wind!" The Ogre Darner Pokémon put some distance between herself and Wobbuffet before turning around and rapidly flapping her wings, sending waves of silver at the Psychic type.

"Now, Wobbuffet, send it back with Mirror Coat!" Jessie instructed. Wobbuffet's body took on a pinkish glow as the Silver Wind struck him and bounced right back at Yanmega.

"Steel Wing!" Yanmega flew right at her redirected attack and struck it with her Steel Wing. The Steel type attack cut right through the Silver Wind, destroying the attack and leaving a streak of silvery glitter in her wake. The glitter slowly floated down to the stage, leaving the crowd in awe.

"A simple, yet beautiful combination," Contesta commented.

"Remarkable," Sukizo added.

"It's clear you've raised your Pokémon well," Nurse Joy said. James and Meowth were sitting in the upper deck and were watching with high optimism.

"Looks like our girl got things started on the right foot," James said.

"Let's just hope she finishes the same way," Meowth said. Back in the waiting room Ash and Nikki looked on, visibly impressed by what they just saw.

"Wow. She really knew how to show off her Pokémon," Ash commented.

"Yeah. I just hope my performance will be just as good," Nikki said.

"It'll be better. Trust me," Ash encouraged. Nikki flashed him a smile before the two of them and their Pokémon went back to watching the other coordinators, eagerly anticipating Nikki's turn on stage.

* * *

The coordinators that followed Jessie, or as she was known in the Contest world 'Lady Jessica', all put on breath-taking performances. Pretty soon it was Nikki's turn to show them what she and her Pokémon could do. Nikki took a deep breath to calm her nerves and then looked down at Buneary.

"Okay, Buneary… are you ready?" she asked.

"(As ready as I'll ever be,)" the Rabbit Pokémon answered. Nikki nodded and returned her to her Poké Ball. She then placed a Ball Capsule on and prepared to go out.

"And now, making her Contest debut, from Pinegrove Town, here's Nikki!" Christy announced.

"_Alright… let's make this a good first impression,"_ Nikki told herself. She ran out onto the stage, a Poké Ball in each hand.

"Buneary! Shinx! The stage is yours!" she shouted as she tossed the Balls. They opened up, releasing streaks of lightning into the air. Then, two separate bolts shot down and struck the stage, casting a blinding light throughout the Contest Hall. When the light died down Buneary and Shinx were seen standing in the center of the stage.

"Alright! Looking good so far!" Ash cheered. He and Pikachu had made it to the stands and were sitting in the front row cheering them on. The Electric Mouse Pokémon had donned his blue kimono and was waving his fans in the air as he cheered.

"Let's start off with Hidden Power, Buneary!" Nikki suggested.

"(You got it!)" She quickly materialized the Hidden Power, but rather than fire it she let the attack encircle her.

"Now you use Charge Beam, Shinx!" Nikki instructed. The Flash Pokémon nodded and fired her concentrated electric beam at Buneary.

"_I hope this works," _Nikki prayed. The Charge Beam hit its target, but instead of damaging Buneary it was absorbed by the Hidden Power, engulfing the Rabbit Pokémon in a mystifying yellowish glow.

"_Yes! It worked!" _Nikki silently cheered. She was careful not to get overly excited, for she still had to finish her appeal.

"Okay, Buneary, now launch it!" she shouted. With a quick movement of her paws Buneary sent to attack into the air where it exploded, giving it the look of a fireworks show. As the last explosion went off Nikki and her Pokémon took a bow.

"My goodness! I thought I was at a fireworks show!" Nurse Joy commented.

"Truly remarkable!" Sukizo added.

"The control the Pokémon had over their attacks was outstanding," Contesta finished. Nikki couldn't help but smile at all the praise she and her Pokémon were receiving. As she left the stage she began to feel her confidence starting to build.

"Okay, let's keep this show rolling with our next coordinator…"

* * *

Nikki, Buneary and Shinx were all sitting in the coordinator waiting room. Their appeal was still on their minds and had them still tingling with excitement.

"Oh man… I still can't believe it went that well," Nikki excitedly said. "Do you think the judges liked it?"

"(Based on what they said afterwards I really believe so,)" Buneary said.

"(For sure. We're heading to the next round without a doubt,)" Shinx added.

"I hope you're right," Nikki said. Seconds later Ash and Pikachu entered the room and walked over to them.

"Great work, you guys. You really wowed the crowd out there," Ash complimented.

"(If you ask me you three stole the show,)" Pikachu added.

"Thanks, you guys. I just hope the judges feel the same way you do," Nikki said.

"They have to," Ash replied. By now the last coordinator was ready to make their appeal.

"And now, our final coordinator of the first round, here's Maxwell!" Christy announced. Both Ash and Nikki, as well as their Pokémon, did a double-take.

"Did she say Maxwell?" Nikki exclaimed. Sure enough standing in the middle of the stage in a white tuxedo was the very same trainer they had met when they first arrived in Miyasa Town.

"Now, Abra and Tyrogue, it's time to dazzle them," he said as he tossed two Poké Balls. The Balls opened, releasing a pair of fireballs. The flames stuck the ground, exploding on impact. Then, from within the flames, Abra and Tyrogue appeared.

"Start off by putting up a Light Screen around the stage, Abra," Maxwell instructed.

"(At once,)" Abra complied. Within seconds he had erected a glowing yellow barrier around the entire stage.

"Now stretch a Reflect across the stage," Maxwell said. While still maintaining the Light Screen Abra put up a Reflect barrier that stretched across the center of the stage.

"And now use Energy Ball." As the crowd watched Abra formed a green sphere of energy in his hand.

"What's he doing?" Nikki wondered.

"You got me," Ash responded. They would soon get their answer.

"Okay… play ball!" As soon as Maxwell gave the command Abra hurled the Energy Ball over the Reflect barrier. As it traveled over Tyrogue ran over and hit it back over the barrier. Before it hit the ground Abra hit it and sent it back. By now it was clear what was happening.

"Those two are having a one-on-one volleyball match!" Nikki gasped. The 'game' went on for a few minutes with the crowd rooting for both sides.

"Wow! Both sides are so into this that I don't know who to pull for!" Christy commented. Right after saying that Tyrogue hit the Energy Ball, putting a spin on the ball and forcing Abra to make a dive for it. Unfortunately the Psi Pokémon fell short and the ball hit the ground, giving the win in the volleyball game to Tyrogue.

"That looks like game, set and match!" Christy announced. The audience applauded for both the appeal and the game.

"That was the most interesting appeal of the day," Contesta commented.

"Remarkable," Sukizo added.

"That looked so fun that I almost wanted to join in myself," Nurse Joy said. While the judges and audience were clearly impressed Nikki was feeling a bit intimidated.

"Wow… that was… amazing," she gasped.

"It was impressive alright," Ash agreed.

"I can't… I mean, I don't know if… can I…" Noticing what was happening Ash placed a comforting hand on Nikki's shoulder.

"Don't worry. In my opinion you're just as good," he said.

"Really?" Nikki asked.

"Really," Ash replied. Nikki let a smile appear on her face.

"I agree." The two trainers spun around and saw Maxwell standing behind them, his Abra and Tyrogue by his side.

"Hi, Maxwell. I didn't know you were a coordinator too," Nikki said.

"Ah yes, forgive me for not mentioning that during our last meeting," he apologized.

"There's no need to apologize," Nikki said. "By the way I loved your performance out there."

"Yeah. That was one of the most unique performances I've ever seen," Ash agreed.

"Thank you. It was something we've been perfecting for a while," Maxwell explained.

"Alright, folks! We now know the identities of the four coordinators moving on to the next round!" Christy announced. All eyes were on the main screen in the Contest Hall and the four coordinators were revealed.

"The top coordinator from round one is… Maxwell!"

"Congratulations, Maxwell! I had a feeling you would make it to the next round," Nikki said.

"So did I," Ash agreed.

"Next is… Lady Jessica!" Jessie, who was sitting towards the back of the room, smirked.

"Naturally. At this point they should go ahead and give me the ribbon," she commented.

"Our third coordinator is… Nathan!" By now Nikki was getting nervous. There was only one coordinator left and her name hadn't been called yet.

"_Please let it be me… please let it be me," _she prayed.

"And last, but certainly not least is… Nikki!" Nikki almost couldn't believe it.

"I made it… I made it! Alright!" she cheered.

"See? I told you you'd make it," Ash commented. Nikki, unable to find her voice at the moment, looked at Ash and gave an excited nod.

"And now let's determine the pairings for the second round!" Christy said. After a bit of randomization the pairings were determined. Maxwell would be facing Nathan and Nikki would be facing Lady Jessica.

"Looks like we both have our work cut out for us," Nikki commented.

"That we do," Maxwell agreed. "I wish you luck, Nikki. May we meet in the finals." He offered a handshake, which Nikki accepted.

"Good luck to you too, Maxwell," she said. With good wishes from both sides Maxwell left the waiting room and headed towards the stage for his first match.

* * *

"And that's it! In impressive fashion Maxwell has punched his ticket to the final stage!" Christy announced. In less than two minutes Maxwell defeated his opponent and advanced to the final stage, leaving Nikki to go against Jessie disguised as Lady Jessica to determine who will join him.

"Okay, Nikki. Time to take care of business," Ash encouraged.

"(You can do it,)" Pikachu added.

"Thanks, you two," Nikki replied. With her battle moments away Nikki headed for the stage. On the way she passed by Maxwell.

"I shall be waiting for you," he told her. She was a bit surprised but nodded none-the-less.

"_Okay… let's not disappoint him," _she told herself as she emerged onto the stage. Jessie was already waiting on her.

"Having second thoughts about showing up?" Jessie taunted.

"You wish!" Nikki responded.

"Well, it looks like our next two coordinators are ready to go!" Christy commented. "In this corner we have Lady Jessica! And in this corner is Nikki!" The crowd cheered as the coordinators were being introduced.

"Let's have five minutes on the clock… and go!"

"Yanmega! Wobbuffet! Out you come!" Jessie shouted, tossing her Poké Balls out. The Balls opened and the familiar heart flurry erupted. The hearts collected on the floor and exploded into Yanmega and Wobbuffet once again.

"Buneary! Shinx! The stage is yours!" Nikki's opened and fired off twin lightning bolts. The bolts hit the ground, signaling the appearances of Buneary and Shinx.

"Use Ancientpower on Wobbuffet!" Jessie ordered.

"What?" Nikki gasped. She was caught off-guard by that command and didn't bother issuing any commands to her own Pokémon. They watched as Yanmega fired her Ancientpower at the Patient Pokémon.

"Now use Mirror Coat!" Jessie instructed. By now it was clear what her plan was as Wobbuffet easily deflected the Ancientpower away from him and towards Buneary and Shinx.

"Dodge it, quick!" Nikki shouted. Her Pokémon jumped to the side and allowed the Ancientpower to pass between them, but that was just what Jessie wanted to have happen.

"Silver Wind!" she said. As the Ancientpower passed between Buneary and Shinx Yanmega hit it with a Silver Wind, detonating it and causing a bit of damage to both Pokémon and Nikki's points.

"Now that was a great series of moves for Lady Jessica!" Christy commented. "She had Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat double the power of Yanmega's Ancientpower before using Silver Wind to explode it right between her opponents! How will Nikki respond to this?"

"What's the matter? Are my tactics too much for you?" Jessie taunted. Nikki glared at her with a fierce look of determination. Her Pokémon, once they recovered, looked at Jessie with the same glare.

"We've got to get things back even again," Nikki said. "Okay! Shinx, use Charge Beam and hit the ground!" She was unsure why but Shinx did as Nikki instructed, firing her Charge Beam at the ground in front of them. The resulting explosion created a smoke cloud that obscured both her and Buneary from view.

"Hey! Where did they go?" Jessie shouted.

"Now use Hidden Power!" From within the smoke cloud small lights began to appear. Jessie couldn't help but smirk.

"_Bad move, twerp. I'll just use the light from your attack to determine where your Pokémon is,"_ she silently gloated. As the orbs began to grow in number Jessie waited for the right time to attack. However…

"Charge Beam!" Before Jessie could call an attack Shinx jumped out of the smoke cloud into the air, her Charge Beam ready to fire.

"Counter with Mirror Coat, Wobbuffet!" Jessie ordered.

"Now, use Jump Kick!" With Wobbuffet focused on countering Shinx he was left wide-open for Buneary to attack. She charged out of the smoke cloud and kicked Wobbuffet in his side, knocking the Patient Pokémon out of the way of Shinx's attack and allowing the Flash Pokémon to focus on hitting Yanmega without having to worry about a rebound. The two attacks hit, taking a huge chunk out of Jessie's points and putting Nikki in the lead.

"Now it's Nikki's turn for a great tactical maneuver!" Christy said. "She used the smoke created from Shinx's Charge Beam to conceal her Pokémon's movements!"

"Now who's having trouble?" Nikki taunted. Jessie growled in annoyance.

"I'll show you!" she screeched. "Yanmega, use Sonicboom!" Fueled by her trainer's frustration Yanmega furiously flapped her wings, sending out a concentrated blade of air at her opponents.

"Use Spark, Shinx!" Nikki shouted. Shinx charged forward, her body surrounded by a blue aura of electricity. She charged right through the Sonicboom, the Normal type attack causing hardly any damage.

"Now let's add a Hidden Power to that!" Nikki called.

"(You got it!)" Buneary complied. She formed her Hidden Power and hurled it at the still-charging Shinx. The attack became drawn to Shinx's Spark, surrounding her and taking on a bluish glow.

"Uh-oh!" Jessie gulped.

"Now bring it home!" Nikki cheered. With Nikki cheering her on Shinx plowed into Wobbuffet and Yanmega, taking both of them out of the battle. Instantly three Xs appeared on the judges' booths.

"And that's it! Both Yanmega and Wobbuffet are unable to battle, meaning Nikki is on her way to the final stage!" Christy announced. The crowd erupted in excitement.

"We did it, guys!" Nikki shouted. While she celebrated with her Pokémon on the stage Ash and Pikachu were cheering from the front row.

"Way to go!" Ash shouted.

"(We knew you could do it!)" Pikachu added. From elsewhere in the crowd James and Meowth let out collective groans of disappointment.

"Looks like she won't be making a successful debut," James sighed.

"And you can bet your Poké Balls we'll be hearing about it when this is all over," Meowth added.

"And with that we have our two finalist! We'll pause for a short break while we prepare the final stage!" Christy announced.

* * *

"Welcome back! Our first Contest of the year is quickly drawing to a close, but before it ends we'll have crowned our first champion!" Christy announced. "Will it be Maxwell, or will it be Nikki?" Both coordinators looked at each other, their minds focused on what was to come.

"_Forgive me, Nikki, but I cannot lose here,"_ Maxwell said.

"_No matter what I can let my Pokémon down, not after all the work we put into getting here," _Nikki said.

"Let's have five minutes on the clock… and begin!"

"Buneary! Shinx! The stage is yours!" Nikki shouted, calling her Pokémon out.

"Dazzle them, Abra and Tyrogue!" Maxwell shouted as his Pokémon made their appearance.

"Let's start off with Hidden Power and Charge Beam!" Nikki instructed. Her Pokémon launched their attacks, the Hidden Power swirling around the Charge Beam.

"Light Screen, please," Maxwell calmly called. With a wave of his hands Abra put up a Light Screen that effectively blocked the combination attack and caused Nikki's points to take a hit.

"Darn… I was sure we'd score a hit," Nikki groaned.

"Now… let's put up a few more Light Screens," Maxwell suggested.

"(Right away,)" Abra replied. He waved his hands a few more times, putting up more Light Screens around the stage.

"Now reinforce them with Reflect," Maxwell instructed. Within seconds Reflect barriers were put up behind the numerous Light Screens.

"What's he up to?" Ash wondered.

"(I don't know, but it can't be good,)" Pikachu answered. Rather than think about it Nikki went on the attack.

"Hidden Power, Buneary!" she shouted.

"(Coming right up!)" the Rabbit Pokémon complied. She powered up her Hidden Power and hurled it at Maxwell's Pokémon. Unfortunately before it could hit them it bounced off of one of the Light Screen/Reflect barriers. From there it bounced to another barrier and ricocheted off. This continued on until the attack was flying all over the stage, and each time it was reflected Nikki's points dropped.

"This isn't good! Nikki's points are plummeting!" Ash shouted. "She has to do something fast before they fall to zero!"

"(But what can she do?)" Pikachu questioned.

"I don't know, buddy," Ash answered. Nikki was thinking the same thing Ash was.

"_The longer I let this go on the more my points drop. I've got to stop this, but how can I when I don't know where the attack will bounce next… wait! That's it!"_ With her game plan figured out she turned her attention to her Pokémon.

"Shinx, watch where the attack goes and intercept it with Charge Beam!" she shouted.

"(I'll try!)" Shinx replied. She began to follow the Hidden Power, carefully watching the trajectory of each bounce it took. Within a few seconds she had determined where it was heading next and fired her Charge Beam. The intercept path was spot on and the two attacks hit in mid-air, exploding and taking out a few of the Light Screen/Reflect barriers in the process and a bit of Maxwell's points.

"That's how you do it!" Ash cheered.

"(Now she has a chance!)" Pikachu squeaked.

"_I'm afraid that's where you're wrong, Ash,"_ Maxwell said. "Abra, use Psychic on the remaining barriers and enclose Buneary and Shinx within!" With careful manipulation the remaining Light Screen/Reflect barriers were drawn towards Nikki's Pokémon.

"Quick, get out of the way!" Nikki shouted. Buneary and Shinx attempted to avoid whatever Maxwell had planned, but Abra managed to keep up with them and trapped them within a box created from the Light Screen/Reflect barriers. Because of this Nikki's points fell even further, coming dangerously close to hitting zero.

"Oh no! Now what do I do?" Nikki cried. She knew her Pokémon didn't have any moves strong enough to break through, meaning they were at the mercy of Maxwell and his Pokémon. However, Maxwell didn't appear to be in any hurry to issue a command.

"_What's he waiting on?"_ Nikki wondered. She got her answer when a loud horn went off inside the Contest Hall.

"Time's up!" Christy announced. "Now let's see who the winner is!" Once glance at the main screen was all it took. Maxwell had nearly all his points while Nikki was just about out.

"And the winner of the Miyasa Town Pokémon Contest is Maxwell!" The crowd erupted in cheer as Maxwell and his Pokémon acknowledged them with a bow. Nikki, on the other hand, had approached her disappointed Pokémon and knelt down next to them.

"(We're sorry, Nikki,)" Buneary disappointedly said.

"(We couldn't get the win for you,)" Shinx added, her voice the same as Buneary's. Nikki just shook her head.

"It's not your fault. I was the one who wasn't good enough," she told them. Right then she felt a presence in front of them. Looking up she saw Maxwell standing over her, offering her his hand.

"That was a good battle," he said, praising her efforts. Nikki gave him a weak smile as she took his hand, allowing him to help her up.

"Thanks, but it wasn't good enough," she replied.

"Maybe not today, but I know you'll get better," he said. Despite her current mood Nikki managed to keep smiling. Seeing this Maxwell felt a sense of pride.

"_I'll do anything to make you smile, Nikki. Anything…"_

* * *

After Maxwell was presented with his ribbon Ash and Nikki headed to the Pokémon Center to get Nikki's Pokémon examined. While they were being examined Nikki thought about the Contest and what she could have done differently.

"Maybe if I had spent some more time practicing my moves I might have won the ribbon instead of Maxwell," she sighed.

"Come on, Nikki. There's no use in getting down on yourself," Ash said, trying to get her spirits back up. "Things like this happen to everyone."

"I bet you never went through something like this," Nikki countered.

"Actually…" During the pause Nikki looked over at Ash.

"Wait… you mean…"

"My first Gym battle… I got creamed," Ash admitted, recalling his first ever Gym battle against his good friend Brock. "I spent a while trying to come up with a game plan to beat him."

"And did you?" Nikki inquired.

"Somewhat. You see, I came up with the idea of giving my Pokémon a power boost for the Gym battle," Ash explained.

"And did it work?" Nikki wondered.

"Kinda. I managed to win, but it was due to a technicality," Ash replied.

"So you didn't get the badge," Nikki said.

"Actually, I did. The Gym Leader saw fit to award me the badge even though I didn't really defeat him," Ash explained.

"Sounds like you got lucky," Nikki commented. "Um, no offense, but what does that have to do with my situation?"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is just because things don't work out at first that's no reason to just give up hope. Things will always work out in the end," Ash explained.

"Wise words, my friend." They looked up and saw Maxwell approaching them.

"Hi, Maxwell," Ash greeted. "Congratulations on getting the ribbon."

"Thank you," Maxwell said. "How are you doing, Nikki?"

"I really wanted to win, but I can't let this one defeat stop me. I'm going to work hard and make sure I win next time!" she declared.

"That's the spirit," Maxwell commented. "So where will you go now?"

"We're heading to Lunick Town so Ash can earn his first Gym badge," Nikki answered.

"Ah, so you plan on entering the Legenda League," Maxwell commented.

"Enter and win!" Ash declared.

"(Yeah!)" Pikachu agreed. Right then a chime went off inside the Pokémon Center. Seconds later Buneary and Shinx ran to Nikki with Nurse Joy right behind them. Nikki knelt down as they jumped into her arms.

"How are you two feeling?" she asked them.

"(Great!)" Buneary cheered.

"(Nurse Joy took real good care of us,)" Shinx said.

"They're both doing just fine," Nurse Joy reported.

"Thank you," Nikki said. While Nurse Joy went back to her duties Ash and Nikki prepared to hit the road again.

"Alright! Next stop… Lunick Town!" Ash declared.

"(And our first Gym battle!)" Pikachu added.

"I wish you luck in your Gym battle, Ash, and in your next contest, Nikki," Maxwell said.

"Thank you. Good luck to you too," Nikki replied. With those parting words Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon left the Center on their way to Lunick Town. As he watched them leave Maxwell couldn't help but feel a bit bad about defeating Nikki in the Contest.

"_If it were possible I would have gladly let you beat me, but if I am to prove that I am worthy of your love then I must become as strong a coordinator as possible,"_ he said. With nothing left to do he headed to the room he was staying in at the Pokémon Center, his mind filled with thoughts of the young female coordinator who had stolen his heart.

* * *

Nikki's Contest debut may have ended in defeat, but this just made her more determined to win in her next Contest. Now on their way to Lunick Town for Ash's first Gym battle what will they encounter on the way? Will Ash earn his first badge? And what of Maxwell's ever-growing feelings for Nikki? Find out the answers for these and other questions in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	11. On Cloud Swablu

**Chapter 11: On Cloud Swablu**

With Nikki's first Pokémon Contest under her belt the group continued on towards Lunick Town and Ash's first Gym battle. While Ash and Pikachu were eagerly anticipating their first Gym battle Nikki was busy thinking about the Contest. Ash noticed she was being strangely quiet and looked in her direction, seeing her in deep thought.

"Still thinking about the Contest?" Ash inquired. "You can't let it get to you. You'll do better next time."

"Don't worry, I'm not letting it get me down," Nikki replied. "But I am thinking about what I can do next time." Ash smiled.

"I'm glad to see this hasn't bummed you out too much," he said. "So, have you come up with anything?"

"Well, the way I see it, the reason I lost was because I couldn't come up with enough combinations to wow the judges," Nikki explained.

"If only Shinx and I knew some better moves we could have been more effective in the Contest,)" Buneary said, feeling that is was her fault. Nikki smile and pet the Rabbit Pokémon on her head.

"It's not your fault, nor is it Shinx's," she said. "If anything it's my fault for not having more Pokémon."

"You think the reason you lost was because you didn't have enough Pokémon?" Ash inquired.

"It's not just that. If I had more Pokémon I would have had a larger variety of combinations to work on," Nikki explained.

"And with more combinations you think you would have stood a better chance at winning," Ash observed.

"Yeah. That's why I want to catch a few more before my next Contest. That way I could come up with more combinations and have a better chance at winning next time," Nikki said.

"Well, if that's what you want then the only thing left to do is to find you a new Pokémon," Ash announced.

"(And we'll help,)" Pikachu added.

"Thanks. With you two helping I'm sure I'll get a new Pokémon," Nikki said. The two trainers and their Pokémon continued on, a new objective in front of them. What was not known to them was the fact that Team Rocket was listening in, hidden behind a thick growth of bushes along the path they were walking.

"Sounds like the twerpette wants to add to her roster," Meowth commented.

"Perhaps we should swoop in and add to our own," James suggested.

"I like your way of thinking, Jimmy," Meowth agreed.

"Let the twerps do the work while we reap the benefits," Jessie said.

"Then let's tail them and see what they find," Meowth suggested. His human partners agreed, following the Scratch Cat Pokémon as they quietly followed Ash and Nikki.

* * *

Ash and Nikki's search led them through a small forest. Various Pokémon from Pidgey and Starly to Caterpie and Burmy scurried about. The looked around at all the different Pokémon, trying to decide which one to add to their family.

"Oh man. There are so many to choose from," Nikki gasped.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "So, do you have anything specific in mind?"

No, just whatever catches my eye first," Nikki answered.

"Well I'm sure there's something out here that'll do just that," Ash commented. Then, as if on cue, a shadow passed over their heads. They looked in front of them and saw a small blue bird Pokémon with cloud-like wings land in a tree.

"That looks like a Swablu," Ash said.

"That is a Swablu," Nikki confirmed. She took out her Pokédex and scanned it.

**Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokémon. Its wings bring cottony clouds to mind. It grooms with spring water and loves to sit on heads.**

As they looked at the Flying type Nikki's eyes grew wide.

"That Swablu is perfect! I just have to catch it!" she exclaimed. She grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it.

"Okay, Shinx! We've got a Pokémon to catch!" she exclaimed. As the Flash Pokémon appeared from her Poké Ball the Swablu saw that it would soon be engaged in battle. It flew down from the tree and faced Shinx.

"(Don't take this personally. My trainer would like to add you to our team,)" Shinx stated.

"(I can see that, but don't think I'll be an easy capture,)" the Cotton Bird Pokémon replied in a feminine voice.

"Let's start off with Charge Beam, Shinx!" Nikki instructed. She quickly gathered the electricity in her mouth and fired it. It looked as though the attack would hit, but the Swablu was surprisingly agile and dodged it with ease.

"Darn! Looks like we'll have to go with an in-your-face approach!" Nikki commented. "Use Spark!" Shinx charged towards the Swablu, her body engulfed in a blue aura. Just as she reached the Swablu the Cotton Bird Pokémon flapped her wings and flew over the charging Flash Pokémon.

"Try another Charge Beam!" Nikki shouted. Shinx gathered the leftover electricity from her Spark and concentrated it in her mouth, quickly powering up and firing a Charge Beam. This time, instead of dodging, the Swablu fired a blue orb from her mouth.

"That's Dragon Pulse!" Ash commented. The two attacks collided and canceled each other out.

"Wow… now that's power," Ash commented.

"(No kidding,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Okay, let's try…" Before Nikki could complete her instructions the Swablu opened her mouth and began singing.

"What the?" Nikki wondered. Ash, however, knew exactly what was happening.

"Don't listen to it!" he warned. "That's Swablu's… Sing… at… tack…" His warning came too late. By the time he got the words out of his mouth he, Nikki, Pikachu, Buneary and Shinx were all sound asleep.

"(There. That should give me some time to make my escape,)" Swablu commented. She flapped her wings and flew off, leaving the sleeping trainers and their Pokémon in dreamland. Seconds later Team Rocket emerged, their ears protected by special earmuffs. They removed the earmuffs and examined Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon.

"That Swablu put them on a one-way trip to dreamland," Meowth commented. "I gotta said I'm impressed."

"If we had that Swablu on our team defeating the twerps would be a piece of cake," Jessie said. "I say we catch her."

"In that case we should use this time to get an early start of finding that Swablu," James suggested.

"Yeah," Meowth and Jessie agreed. The trio disappeared into the forest on the trail of the Swablu, hoping to find it before Ash and company woke up.

* * *

Hours later Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon began to wake up as the effects from Swablu's Sing started to wear off. Upon waking the first thing they noticed was that Swablu had vanished.

"Aw man. The Swablu got away," Nikki whined.

"Don't worry. We'll find her," Ash said.

"How? We don't even know which way she went," Nikki pointed out. To answer her Ash grabbed a Poké Ball and called out Pidgeot.

"We need your help finding a Swablu that got away from us. Think you can spot her from up there?" Ash inquired.

"(Leave it to me,)" Pidgeot replied. With a flap of his wings Pidgeot was off searching for Swablu, leaving Ash, Nikki and their remaining Pokémon to search from the ground.

"Come on. We might get lucky enough to find her down here," Ash suggested. Nikki agreed as the group began their search.

* * *

Half an hour went by, and so far they had found no trace of the Swablu. Ash was still confident they'd find her, but Nikki was starting to grow a bit skeptical.

"Do you really think we're going to find that Swablu? I mean, we've been searching for a while and we haven't found anything," she wondered.

"We'll find her, and even if we don't Pidgeot's still out there. He might find her before we do," Ash explained.

"I suppose," Nikki agreed, though she still sounded less than enthusiastic about their chances. While they continued their search on the ground Pidgeot continued his from above. His high vantage point as well as excellent eyesight allowed him to see things Ash and the others could not. As he looked down at the forest he spotted the Swablu resting in a tree.

"_(Found you. Now to alert Ash and Nikki,)" _Pidgeot said. He did a 180 and flew back the way he came so he could direct Ash and Nikki in the direction of the Swablu. In his haste to leave, though, he failed to notice that he wasn't the only one who spotted the Swablu.

* * *

After some more searching with no results Ash and Nikki were starting to believe that the Swablu had indeed left the area. Just when they were ready to call it quits and move on Pikachu spotted Pidgeot heading towards them.

"Any luck, Pidgeot?" Ash called.

"(Yes. I believe I found her,)" he reported.

"You did? Alright!" Nikki cheered.

"I told you Pidgeot wouldn't let us down," Ash bragged. "Which way is she?"

"(This way,)" Pidgeot said, using his wing to point in the direction he saw the Swablu.

"Thanks, Pidgeot," Ash said. He recalled his avian friend and called for Nikki and the Pokémon to follow him. As they headed in the direction Pidgeot directed them in Nikki began formulating her battle plan.

"_Okay… since Shinx didn't work last time I think I'll go with Buneary. She's more agile than Shinx and should be able to keep up with Swablu easier,"_ she thought. _"Now, the first thing I'll do is…"_

"There she is!" Ash shouted, snapping her from her thoughts. Looking up they saw a large tree in front of them, and sitting on one of the branches was the Swablu they encountered earlier.

"Alright! Time to catch you!" Nikki declared. The Swablu heard them and prepared to defend herself, but before a battle could begin a metal claw came from above and grabbed Swablu.

"Ah, Swablu!" Nikki shouted. "We've got to do something!" Before she and Ash could come to the Swablu's aid the air was filled with sinister laughing.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Nikki groaned.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Don't you ever get tired of being losers?" Nikki spat.

"Of course we do! That's why we're taking the first step down the winner's path!" Jessie retorted.

"And this Swablu is going to help us stay on that path!" James added. Hanging beneath the balloon Swablu struggled to free herself from Team Rocket's clutches.

"Don't worry, Swablu! We'll save you!" Nikki called.

"I seriously doubt that," Jessie sneered.

"Well I don't! Pikachu, use…" Before finishing his command Ash paused.

"What's wrong?" Nikki asked.

"If I have Pikachu use an Electric attack Swablu will get hurt in the process," Ash explained through gritted teeth.

"That's right, twerp! If you blast us then the little cotton ball gets it too," Meowth shouted.

"And now that we have the upper hand, or claw in this case, I think we'll just help ourselves to the rest of your Pokémon," Jessie gloated.

"Umm, shouldn't we first make our getaway with our new catch before we try for more?" James inquired.

"Yeah. Being greedy always messes us up. Let's just be satisfied with what we got," Meowth agreed.

"No! I'm taking advantage of this and that's final!" Jessie announced. "Now hand over your Pokémon!" Nikki looked at them with disgust.

"Not a chance! Buneary, use Bounce!" she shouted. After a few small hops the Rabbit Pokémon launched herself into the air.

"Now use Jump Kick!" Nikki said. Using the momentum she built up from Bounce Buneary went into a Jump Kick, hitting the arm in its joint and shattering it. With nothing holding the claw shut Swablu easily freed herself. She flew down and surprisingly landed on Nikki's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"(Y-Yeah… I'm just a little shaken up,)" Swablu replied.

"That's good," Nikki sighed.

"No, my Swablu!" Jessie cried.

"I told you we should gone while the getting was good!" Meowth screeched. With Swablu now free Ash and Nikki were free to attack them however they wanted.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Shinx, use Charge Beam! Buneary, Hidden Power!" Nikki instructed. As the three Pokémon launched their attacks Swablu fired a Dragon Pulse at them. The combined attacks were too much for the balloon to handle. It to explode moments later, sending Team Rocket hurtling through the air.

"Great! Not only did we lose to the twerps, but I didn't get my Swablu!" Jessie whined.

"Well if you listened to me in the first place we wouldn't be having this problem!" Meowth spat.

"When I want your opinion I'll give it to you!" Jessie retorted.

"I just hope this is over by the time we land!" James cried.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" she screamed before vanishing in the distance.

Great job, you guys!" Ash praised. Pikachu, Buneary and Shinx all smiled. Ash then turned to Nikki.

"So, you going to catch that Swablu now?" he asked. She looked to the Cotton Bird Pokémon on her shoulder and, with a warm smile, shook her head.

"She's had enough for one day. I don't want to put her through any more," she explained. This wasn't what anyone was expecting, but at the same time they all understood.

"I guess she has been through a lot today," Ash agreed. "I guess we'll look for a different Pokémon for you to catch."

"Yeah," Nikki said.

"(Hold on,)" Swablu interjected.

"What is it?" Nikki wondered.

"(I want to thank you for helping me, and the only way I can think of is by becoming your Pokémon,)" she said.

"What? Are you sure?" Nikki questioned.

"(Yes. After what I saw I want to come with you, if you'll have me,)" Swablu explained.

"Of course! I'd be glad to have you!" Nikki announced with a smile. She grabbed an empty Poké Ball and gently tapped Swablu with it, drawing her inside. The light flashed a couple of times before a 'ping' announced a successful capture.

"Alright! I've got a Swablu!" Nikki cheered.

"(A new friend!)" Buneary added.

"Congratulations, Nikki," Ash said.

"Thanks," Nikki replied. "With Swablu on my side there's no telling what new combinations we can come up with."

"(I can't wait!)" Buneary excitedly announced.

"(Neither can I,)" Shinx agreed. After returning the Flash Pokémon to her Poké Ball the group continued on their way to Lunick Town, where Ash's first Gym battle awaited.

* * *

After thwarting another Team Rocket Pokémon theft attempt Nikki finds herself the new trainer of a powerful Swablu. With this newest family member by her side Contest ribbons are sure to be in her future. What else is in her future, as well as Ash's? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	12. Grounded

**Chapter 12: Grounded**

With a new Pokémon comes a learning period, which is what Ash and Nikki were experiencing at the moment. The two of them were standing at opposite ends of a large field near the base of a cliff, ready to engage in a practice battle. Ash was using his newly-evolved Quilava while Nikki used her newly-caught Swablu.

"You ready, Nikki?" Ash called.

"Just a sec. Let me check out Swablu's moves," Nikki said. She took out her Pokédex and scanned the Cotton Bird Pokémon.

**Swablu's known moves are: Dragon Pulse, Sing and Featherdance.**

"Featherdance? I didn't know you knew that move," Nikki commented.

"(Believe me, it comes in handy,)" Swablu said.

"I bet it does," Nikki agreed. "Okay, we're ready! Go ahead and make the first move, Ash!"

"Alright! Quilava, Flamethrower!" Ash instructed. The Volcano Pokémon took a deep breath and spewed a red-hot flame towards Swablu.

"Block it with Dragon Pulse!" Nikki instructed. Swablu fired her Dragon Pulse at the Flamethrower, the two attacks colliding and exploding in a fiery blast.

"Now fly through with Featherdance!" Nikki shouted.

"(Okay!)" Swablu complied. She flew towards the remains of the Flamethrower/Dragon Pulse explosion, her wings giving off a golden glow from the shining Featherdance particles. Then, as she flew through the explosion remains she began to spin in the air. The spinning motion caused her to collect the floating embers, mixing them with the Featherdance to create a spectacle of glittering flames.

"(Pretty,)" Buneary gasped.

"Nice combination," Ash praised.

"Thanks," Nikki replied.

"But don't think we're done yet! Use Smokescreen!" Ash shouted. Quilava took another deep breath, but this time spewed a thick smoke cloud from his mouth, covering the area in smoke and obscuring the views of Ash and Nikki.

"Oh no! I can't see anything!" Nikki panicked.

"That's it, Quilava! Now use…" Frantic cries from within the smoke could interrupted Ash's next command.

"Quilava, what's wrong?" Ash called.

"Swablu? Are you okay?" Nikki shouted. With the Smokescreen still covering the area they couldn't see what was going on. Fortunately Ash knew how to fix that.

"Pidgeot, come out and blow this smoke away!" Ash shouted, tossing his Poké Ball out. The Bird Pokémon appeared and immediately flapped his massive wings, easily blowing the Smokescreen away. What was revealed was Quilava and Swablu in the clutches of a massive Meowth-shaped tank, and piloting it was none other than Team Rocket.

"You three! What are you doing here?" Ash demanded.

"What we do best: steal your Pokémon," Jessie replied.

"With that Smokescreen your Quilava put up it was the perfect opportunity for us to swoop in and snatch up your Pokémon," James explained.

"And now that we have them it's time for us to make our getaway!" Meowth concluded.

"Not if we can help it! Pidgeot, Wing Attack!" Ash instructed.

"Buneary, Hidden Power!" Nikki shouted. Pidgeot hit one hand with Wing Attack while Buneary blasted the other with her Hidden Power, freeing the two trapped Pokémon.

"Hey! We're still making payments on this thing!" Jessie shrieked.

"Among other things," James added.

"At this rate I'll be in debt for the rest of my nine lives!" Meowth complained.

"Let's send them on their way! Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Quilava, Flamethrower!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary, Hidden Power! Swablu, Dragon Pulse!" Nikki instructed. The four attacks were launched and struck the tank, making it explode almost instantly.

"Wah! Not again!" Jessie cried.

"Another destroyed robot means we're that much further in debt!" Meowth grumbled.

"Whoever said crime doesn't pay must have been talking about us!" James griped.

"We're blasting off again!" they screamed as they vanished. Down below Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon didn't have time to celebrate, for shortly after destroying Team Rocket's latest robot the ground began to shake.

"W-What's h-happening?" Nikki screamed.

"I-I d-don't k-know!" Ash stuttered. The two of them and their Pokémon tried to remain on their feet, but that was proving to be easier said than done. Moments later Nikki fell, unable to remain standing.

"N-Nikki!" Ash shouted. He and Pikachu made their way to her side, but just as they reached her the ground gave way beneath them, plunging them and their Pokémon into the dark underground. As they fell Ash positioned himself underneath Nikki so when they finally hit the ground he could cushion her fall.

"What are you doing?" she yelled.

"Making sure you don't get hurt when we hit the ground!" Ash answered. Before Nikki could argue his point they saw the ground quickly approaching. As Ash braced himself a strong gust of wind slowed his fall enough to where he, Nikki and their Pokémon could land safely.

"Is everyone okay?" Ash asked once they regained their bearings.

"We're fine," Nikki replied. "Where did that wind gust come from?"

"(I think I know,)" Buneary spoke up. She pointed above them where Pidgeot and Swablu were flying down towards them.

"Did you two create that wind gust?" Nikki wondered.

"(Yes. We saw all of you falling and knew it was up to us to make sure no one was hurt,)" Pidgeot explained.

"Well thank you. Because of you we're all okay," Nikki said.

"Yeah, thanks," Ash added.

"(We're just glad everyone's safe,)" Swablu said.

"Yeah, but with us underground I think it'll be better if you two returned to your Poké Balls," Ash suggested.

"(Agreed. Being underground limits our usefulness,)" Pidgeot concurred. Ash and Nikki returned their two Flying types, leaving them with Buneary, Pikachu and Quilava.

"Okay, so which way do we go?" Nikki inquired.

"Good question. It's so dark I can barely see my hand in front of my face," Ash admitted. "You wouldn't happen to have a flashlight, would you?"

Let me check." Using what little light they had Nikki rummaged around in her backpack, hoping that she had remembered to pack a flashlight.

"Please tell me I packed one before I left… aha! Found it!" She took out her flashlight and turned it on, illuminating the cave they had fallen into.

"Alright! Now we'll be able to find our way out of here!" Ash cheered.

"Right!" Nikki agreed.

"Come on. Let's start searching," Ash said.

"Would you three mind taking point here in case we run into trouble?" Nikki politely asked. Pikachu saluted before he, Buneary and Quilava took their positions in front of their trainers. With their Pokémon in position the group continued on deeper into the cavern on their search for a way out.

* * *

Half an hour passed without the group making much headway in terms of finding an exit. While Ash remained optimistic Nikki was growing worried.

"Are we even sure we're going the right way? What if we're just getting ourselves more and more lost?" she worried.

"Don't worry. As long as we stay together we'll be alright," Ash assured her.

"I'd like to believe that, but…" Before she could speak any further Ash placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We'll make it out of here okay," he told her.

"Do… Do you promise?" Nikki asked.

"You have my word," Ash replied. A wave of relief washed over Nikki when Ash told her they'd be okay, but immediately following that the flashlight Nikki was carrying stared to flicker and die out.

"No, no no! Not now!" she shrieked.

"Quick! Do you have any batteries?" Ash asked.

"I think so, but without any light I can't look through my backpack!" Nikki panicked. Just as the last of the flashlight's power ran out Quilava's back flared up, lighting the cave around them.

"Alright! Good thinking, Quilava!" Ash praised.

"(Just doing what I can,)" the Volcano Pokémon replied.

"With this much light we won't need the flashlight," Nikki commented.

"Maybe, but I think you should find some fresh batteries anyway. We don't know how long Quilava can keep this up," Ash explained. Realizing he was right Nikki searched her backpack and quickly found some more batteries for the flashlight. She quickly replaced them.

"There. Now if Quilava ever needs a break we can use this again," she announced.

"You hear that, Quilava? If you need a break just let us know," Ash said.

"(Okay,)" he answered. With their path safely illuminated the group continued on their way. They had barely walked ten steps before the sounds of a battle rang in their ears.

"Who in their right mind would be battling down here?" Nikki questioned.

"I don't know, but if they don't stop this whole cave could come down on top of us!" Ash pointed out.

"In that case let's find them and make them stop!" Nikki suggested. The group ran towards the sounds of battle, hoping they could reach the battling parties before the cave collapsed. When they arrived they didn't see two battling trainers, but two battling Pokémon.

"What's going on?" Nikki shouted.

"That's an Onix and a Rhydon!" Ash exclaimed. Curious to know more about the two Pokémon Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned them.

**Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. It rapidly bores through the ground at 50 mph by squirming and twisting its massive, rugged body.**

**Rhydon, the Drill Pokémon and the evolved form of Rhyhorn. Its rugged hide protects it from even the heat of lava. However, the hide also makes it insensitive.**

As the group looked on it became clear who the aggressor was in this conflict. For the most part it appeared as though the Onix was trying to get away, but every time he made a move the Rhydon attacked.

"That Rhydon won't leave that Onix alone! We have to do something!" Nikki shouted.

"Way ahead of you!" Ash replied. He already had a Poké Ball in hand and was throwing it out.

"Bayleef, help us out here!" Seconds later the Leaf Pokémon appeared and awaited her instructions.

"Use Razor Leaf on that Rhydon!" Ash instructed. Making sure not to accidentally hit the Onix Bayleef swung her head leaf forward and launched a Razor Leaf volley at the Rhydon. The attack made solid contact, but to their surprise did little more than get his attention.

"This isn't good! All that did was make him angry!" Nikki shrieked.

"His defenses are a lot higher than I thought," Ash observed. While he tried to come up with a new battle strategy the Rhydon charged towards Bayleef, his horn pointed right at her.

"Quick, jump over and slam him with your Vine Whip!" Ash shouted.

"(You got it!)" she complied. Right before the Rhydon reached her Bayleef used her vines to jump over him. Then, as he passed beneath her, she wrapped her vines around his horn. As she landed behind him she pulled, causing him to fall over backwards.

"Nice moves, Bayleef!" Nikki praised. During this Onix looked on confused. He had no idea who these people were or why they were helping him. That didn't mean he didn't appreciate their help, though.

"Follow up with Body Slam!" Ash instructed. Using her vines to jump Bayleef hurled herself into the air, preparing to drop her entire body weight onto the downed Rhydon. Before she could land her attack the Rhydon surprisingly rolled out of the way and slammed her with its tail.

"No, Bayleef!" Ash shouted. He could only watch helplessly as his Pokémon was sent hurtling through the air towards the cave wall. Right before she hit the Onix used his tail to catch her.

"(Are… you okay?)" the Onix growled.

"(Y-Yes… thank you,)" Bayleef replied.

"Look out!" Ash warned. Looking up Bayleef and Onix saw the Rhydon charging, his drill spinning rapidly.

"He's trying to use Horn Drill!" Nikki shouted. Sensing that the Rhydon's target was Bayleef Onix tackled her out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack himself. He let out a roar of pain as the Rhydon's horn scraped against his rocky carapace, severely cracking his hide.

"No!" Nikki cried.

"Stop him with Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. As quickly as she could Bayleef fired another Razor Leaf volley at the Rhydon. This time the attack caused some damage, enough to make him stop his attack on the Onix. Then, as extra insurance, the Onix slammed the Rhydon with his tail, sending him into the opposite wall. At this point the Drill Pokémon realized he was outmatched and beat a hasty retreat.

"Alright! We drove him off!" Ash cheered. The cheers quickly came to an end when the Onix collapsed, pain etched on his face.

"No, Onix!" Nikki shouted. The trainers and their Pokémon ran to the Rock Snake Pokémon's side. It was then they saw the damage the Rhydon's Horn Drill had done.

"That looks bad. We need to tend to that fast," Ash said.

"I've got some first-aid equipment in my backpack," Nikki announced.

"That's great. Quilava, give her some light," Ash said.

"(I'm on it,)" the Volcano Pokémon replied. With Quilava providing the light Nikki quickly found her first-aid kit.

"Okay, time to get to work," she stated. As she rummaged around in her kit the Onix managed to keep one eye partially open, watching as these two trainers tended to his injuries. Nikki had applied some disinfectant to a rag and was getting ready to apply it to Onix's wound.

"Okay. This may sting a little, but it'll only last a moment," she warned, not sure if the Onix had heard her. He had, in fact, heard her and prepared for the sting. When she pressed the rag against his wound Onix flinched slightly. It did sting, but as Nikki said it only lasted a moment.

"Okay, now let's get a bandage on this," she said. She took out a long roll of bandages.

"Let's hope I have enough here," she commented. In order to properly wrap up his wound they needed to lift Onix partially off the ground. Thankfully Bayleef was up to the task. She managed to hold the injured part of his body in the air while Ash and Nikki properly bandaged him up.

"Okay, that should do it. You can set him down now, Bayleef," Nikki said. The Leaf Pokémon gently set him back down. As soon as everyone backed away the Onix rose up and examined his now bandaged wound.

"You'll be all better in no time," Ash announced. The next thing Ash knew the Onix has his tail wrapped around him and had lifted him into the air.

"Ah, Ash!" Nikki shouted. Right when the other Pokémon were going to launch their attacks they stopped. Instead of an attack the Onix was rubbing his head against Ash affectionately.

"(Oh, thank you! I was trying to get away from that Rhydon for the longest when you arrived!)" he bellowed.

"Umm… you're welcome," Ash replied.

"(Is there anything I can do to repay you? Anything at all?)" he wondered.

"Well… you can start by putting me down," Ash suggested. Realizing he was still holding him the Onix set Ash back down.

"(Is there anything else you need?)" he wondered.

"Well, now that you mention it we are kinda lost," Ash said.

"You see, we fell down here from above and were trying to find our way out when we ran into you and that Rhydon," Nikki explained.

"(Oh. In that case I'd be more than glad to show you the way out,)" the Onix offered.

"That's what we were hoping you'd say. Thank you," Nikki said.

"(Follow me.)" With the massive Rock Snake Pokémon leading the way the group continued on, finally making headway on their way out.

* * *

With Onix leading the way Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon were feeling optimistic about their chances of getting out. During this time the Onix decided to find out the answer to a question that had been on his mind.

"(Why did you help me back there? I'm just a wild Pokémon, without a trainer, and yet you stepped in and helped me drive off that Rhydon. Why?)" he questioned.

"Wild or not, I couldn't just stand there and let that Rhydon attack you like that. I guess you could say it's against my nature," Ash explained.

"(Ash never turns his back on someone in need whether they're human or Pokémon,)" Pikachu added. The Onix listened to what they said, surprised by what he heard.

"(Such a kind and caring soul. You don't see many trainers like that around here,)" Onix commented.

"No, you don't," Nikki agreed. As they continued the cave started to grow a bit brighter.

"We must be getting close to the exit! Come on!" Ash urged. They picked up the pace, the cave growing brighter with each step they took. Pretty soon they saw an opening ahead of them.

"We're almost out!" Nikki cheered. They group pushed themselves harder, eager to get out as quickly as possible. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged into the sun's warmth.

"Finally!" Nikki cheered, stretching her body. "Thanks for showing us the way out, Onix."

"Yeah, we couldn't have gotten out without your help," Ash added. Onix was beaming with pride at all the thanks he was receiving. Then, without warning, metal clamps dropped from above and grabbed Pikachu, Buneary, Quilava and Bayleef.

"Ah, Buneary!" Nikki cried.

"What's going on?" Ash demanded.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Not you three again!" Nikki groaned, glaring up at Team Rocket's balloon. The metal claws that grabbed their Pokémon were all connected to the bottom of the balloon basket.

"Why, you almost sound like you don't want us around," Jessie whined, feigning hurt feelings.

"We don't! Now let our Pokémon go!" Nikki demanded.

"I don't see that happening," James declared.

"You may have beat us once today, but it won't happen again!" Meowth declared.

"That's what you think! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"(One Thunderbolt coming right up!)" Pikachu replied. His cheeks began to spark as he built up electricity. Then, once enough power had been gathered he unleashed his attack, but instead of electrocuting Team Rocket the attack traveled through the metal arm and instead hit his companions.

"Pikachu, stop!" Ash shouted. The Mouse Pokémon stopped his attack, but by then the damage had already been done.

"Hahaha, we really outdid ourselves this time!" Meowth boasted.

"If Pikachu launches any kind of electric attack it will hit the other Pokémon instead of us," Jessie said.

"So if you want to keep them safe you'll call off that little walking battery," James suggested. Ash growled in annoyance. His hands were tied. He knew they had to try and free the Pokémon, but with this new fail-safe Team Rocket implemented that would be easier said than done.

"No sweat, Ash! If Pikachu can't do it then our other Pokémon will!" Nikki shouted. She went to grab a Poké Ball when Onix suddenly sprang into action, biting onto the balloon basket and pulling it down towards the ground.

"Someone get this rock head to let go!" Jessie demanded. James immediately grabbed a Poké Ball.

"Carnivine, time to go to work!" he shouted. His Pokémon appeared moments later only to turn around and clamp onto his head.

"When I said go to work I didn't mean on my head!" James cried. He dislodged the over-affectionate Pokémon from his head and sent him back into battle.

"Use Bullet Seed!" he commanded. The Bug Catcher Pokémon opened his mouth and sprayed Onix with his Bullet Seed. The massive Pokémon grunted in pain as he endured the attack.

"We have to do something!" Nikki shouted.

"Already on it! Gible, I choose you!" The Land Shark Pokémon erupted from his Poké Ball, ready for battle.

"Use Rock Smash!" Ash instructed. Gible took a running start and charged forward, running up Onix's back in order to reach the attacking Carnivine. Once he got high enough he leapt into the air and delivered an uppercut to the Bug Catcher Pokémon with his Rock Smash.

"Don't take that, Carnivine! Counter with Vine Whip!" James shouted. Carnivine quickly regained his composure and sent two vines out from his body. The vines wrapped tightly around Gible, getting a grunt out of the small Pokémon. Carnivine then threw Gible down to the ground.

"No, Gible!" Ash shouted.

"Now finish up with Bite!" James ordered. His Pokémon dove down, his mouth wide open.

"Move, Gible! Hurry!" Ash shouted. Unfortunately Gible was still a bit dazed by Carnivine's last attack.

"He won't be able to move in time!" Nikki shouted. Just when it looked like Carnivine would take a huge bite out of Gible he was blocked when Onix lifted his tail into the air. It then began to glow white right before being slammed directly into Carnivine, sending him hurtling back into the basket of Team Rocket's balloon.

"Whoa! Onix just used Iron Tail!" Nikki commented. By now Gible had recovered and was ready for more action.

"Okay, Gible! Go free Pikachu and the others!" Ash instructed.

"(And I know just how to do that!)" he commented. He ran up Onix's back once again, this time jumping off onto one of the claw arms.

"(Lunch time!)" he roared. He then proceeded to devour the metal arms until there was nothing left. With the arms gone the claws themselves fell apart, freeing the captive Pokémon.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Jessie shrieked.

"Umm… he just did," Meowth groaned.

"Okay, now send them on their way with Draco Meteor!" Ash shouted. As soon as Ash called his attack Onix released the balloon and backed away. Gible then opened his mouth and fired an orange orb. The orb flew into the air above the balloon and exploded into multiple, smaller orbs. The orbs rained down on Team Rocket's balloon, one of them making solid contact. The balloon exploded instantly, sending team Rocket flying.

"Twice in one day? This isn't fair!" Jessie cried.

"That's life for you," James groaned.

"I want someone else's!" Meowth whined.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they screamed.

"Is everyone alright?" Ash asked.

"(We're all fine,)" Pikachu reported.

"How about you, Buneary?" Nikki wondered.

"(I'm fine too,)" The Rabbit Pokémon told her.

"What a relief," Nikki sighed. With everyone doing okay Ash turned to the exhausted Gible.

"Gible, you were awesome out there," he praised.

"(T-Thanks,)" Gible replied. "(If you don't mind… I could use a rest.)"

"Sure. After that performance you deserve it." Ash returned him along with Quilava and Bayleef.

"And you, Onix. We couldn't have gotten them back without your help," Ash said.

"Yeah. Thanks," Nikki added.

"(I wasn't going to let those crooks get away with your Pokémon, especially not after you helped me,)" Onix replied.

"Speaking of our Pokémon, how would you like to come along with us?" Ash offered. Onix's eyes went wide.

"(D… Do you mean it?)" he questioned, hoping he wasn't hearing things.

"Sure do. I'd love to have you join our family," Ash said. "So, what do you say?" He got his answer when Onix wrapped his tail around him in a hug and lifted him off the ground once again.

"(Of course I want to come! Oh, you have no idea how happy this makes me!)" he cried.

"Great… but could you please put me down," Ash pleaded. Still overcome with emotion Onix placed Ash back down on the ground. Once he was back on the ground Ash grabbed a Poké Ball.

"Welcome to the family, Onix." Ash tossed the Poké Ball and watched it bounce off of Onix's head. He was then drawn inside. The ball never shook as the light flashed three times before going out, signaling that the capture was complete.

"Alright! I just caught an Onix!" Ash cheered.

"(Oh yeah!)" Pikachu added.

"Congratulations, Ash. That's your first Pokémon from the Legenda Region," Nikki commented.

"The first, but certainly not the last," Ash added. "And now, on to Lunick Town!" After their underground adventure the group was finally on their way to Lunick Town, complete with a new addition to their family.

* * *

Their brief underground adventure ended with Ash adding a new Pokémon to the family. Now with Onix onboard they head to Lunick Town. Will Ash be prepared for the Gym battle that awaits him there? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	13. A TripleShocker

Sorry about taking so long to update. I've had a lot on my mind lately along with numerous personal issues to deal with. I'm managing to deal with them and will hopefully be able to get my updates done faster.

Also, I'd like to thank Weasel Master for the use of the three new characters in this chapter.

**Chapter 13: A Triple-Shocker**

"Alright, we made it!" It had been an interesting trip, but Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon had finally arrived at Lunick Town. Looking it over the town reminded Ash of Pallet Town. There were a few houses scattered all over with the easily recognizable Pokémon Center among them. But what stood out the most was the large domed building near the center of town.

"I take it that's the Gym," Ash assumed.

"That's right," Nikki confirmed. "That's your first step on your road through the Legenda League."

"Well my first stop here is the Pokémon Center to get my Pokémon examined. Then, once I find out what this Gym Leader's specialty is I'll start formulating my team and strategy," Ash said.

"Just remember that you have to use whatever type the Gym Leader does," Nikki reminded. "That's going to make some battles tougher than others." Ash looked at her with his trademark smile.

"Hey, the tougher the better, right Pikachu?" he declared.

"(Right!)" the Mouse Pokémon agreed. With Ash's first Legenda League Gym battle right in front of him the group headed into town on their way to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

The walk to the Pokémon Center was a short one. Upon arriving both trainers handed their Pokémon to Nurse Joy.

"I'll make sure they're all in perfect condition," she said. Right before she headed to start their examination Ash had a request.

"Could you make sure to give my Onix a thorough examination? He was injured in a battle with a Rhydon before I caught him," he asked.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he's all healed up," she reassured him. After Nurse Joy left with their Pokémon Ash and Nikki decided to try and figure out what kind of challenge Ash would face at the Gym.

"Well, the best place to do that is in the trainers' lounge. Why don't we ask around there," Nikki suggested.

"That's a good idea," Ash agreed. While waiting for their Pokémon's check-ups to be finished the two trainers decided to check around and find out what they could about the Gym Leader. Upon arriving they began questioning the other trainers to see if any of them had faced the Gym Leader yet. After speaking to a few trainers they found one who recently had a battle with the Gym Leader.

"The Gym Leader specializes in Ground types and prefers to battle three-on-three," he told them. After thanking the trainer Ash and Nikki began discussing Ash's battle strategy.

"Okay, we know the Gym Leader uses Ground types and battles three-on-three. Do you have enough Ground types?" Nikki wondered.

"Well, I've got Onix and Gible with me now, and I have a Donphan and Torterra back at Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town," Ash replied. "That's four, which means one will have to sit out, but who?"

"That's going to be a tough call," Nikki stated. Right then the chime went off inside the Pokémon Center, letting Ash and Nikki know their Pokémon were done with their check-ups. They headed back to the front desk where Nurse Joy was waiting with two trays of Poké Balls, Pikachu and Buneary.

"All your Pokémon are in perfect condition," the nurse reported. "Also, your Onix has completely recovered from the injury you spoke of."

"That's great. Thanks," Ash said. As he and Nikki gathered their Poké Balls Pikachu and Buneary took their spots on their respective trainer's shoulders.

"(So, did you find out anything about the Gym Leader?)" Pikachu asked.

"Yeah. The Gym Leader uses Ground types and battles three-on-three," Ash replied.

"(Well with Onix you have four to choose from,)" Pikachu said.

"I know, which means someone won't be able to participate," Ash pointed out.

"(It's going to be tough leaving one of them out of the battle,)" Pikachu commented. "(How are you going to decide?)"

"Good question. I wish I knew," Ash answered.

"Why don't you gather all four of them and then see," Nikki suggested.

"That's a good idea," Ash said. "But then, who do I send back? I can't have more than six Pokémon with me at a time." After thinking for a bit Ash took out two Poké Balls and tossed them, calling out Pidgeot and Quilava.

"I need to bring over Torterra and Donphan for this Gym battle. Would you two mind heading back to Professor Oak's ranch for a while?" he inquired.

"(I don't mind,)" Quilava said.

"(Nor I. In fact it'll be good to see some of my old friends again,)" Pidgeot stated.

"Thanks, you two," Ash said with a smile. He returned them to their Poké Balls and made his way to the videophones.

"Now all I have to do is let Professor Oak know I need to make a switch," he said. He dialed the professor's number and waited. Seconds later the respected Pokémon professor appeared on the screen.

"Hi, Professor," Ash greeted.

"(Hello,)" Pikachu added.

"Ash! Pikachu! Good to hear from you again!" Professor Oak greeted. He then noticed Nikki and her Buneary standing behind them.

"And who's this? A new traveling partner, I presume?" he commented. Nikki decided to take this time to introduce herself.

"Hello. I'm Nikita Lyons, but everyone just calls me Nikki," she said. "And this is my partner, Buneary."

"(Nice to meet you,)" Buneary added.

"Likewise," Professor Oak replied. "So, Ash, what can I do for you?"

"I need you to send over Torterra and Donphan for my Gym battle," Ash requested.

"So, you're preparing for your first Legenda League Gym battle," the professor commented. "I'll have them sent over immediately." After taking a few minutes to get the two Pokémon Ash asked for he went over to the Poké Ball transporter and prepared to send them over. However, he soon found he couldn't. e then returned to the videophone.

"Ash, do you have a full team?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I do," he admitted.

"In that case you'll need to send two back in order to receive any more," Professor Oak stated.

"I know. That's why I'm sending back Pidgeot and Quilava," Ash said. Professor Oak was a bit shocked by what he just heard.

"You got Pidgeot back and Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava?" he gasped.

"Yeah. I ran into Pidgeot when I was passing through the Viridian Forest, and Cyndaquil evolved a few days ago," Ash explained. "I already spoke with them and they agreed to head back to the ranch."

"In that case I'll be glad to keep them here," Professor Oak said. With the professor ready Ash placed Pidgeot and Quilava's Poké Balls in the nearby transporter and sent them over. Shortly after sending them over he received Torterra and Donphan's Poké Balls.

"I received them, Professor," Ash said.

"As did I. Good luck with your Gym battle." The two ended the call and Ash stood up.

"Okay, now to start planning my strategy," he said. He and Pikachu headed outside with Nikki and Buneary following close behind.

* * *

Once they were outside Ash and Nikki went around to the back of the Pokémon Center where there was a field big enough for Ash to let all his Pokémon out, which is just what he did.

"Come on out, everyone!" he shouted. He tossed all his Poké Balls and watched as Bayleef, Gible, Onix, Torterra and Donphan all appeared. Ash stood in front of the four Ground types, thinking about which ones to bring for his Gym Battle.

"Man… this is going to be harder than I thought," he sighed.

"Well, since you know the Gym Leader will use Ground types it stands to reason that Torterra will be able to cause some real problems," Nikki stated.

"Good point," Ash agreed. "Okay, Torterra. You're on the team." The Continent Pokémon grunted his approval. With one Pokémon decided the Pallet Town native went back into thought-mode.

"That still leaves two slots open with three Pokémon to choose from," Ash mused. "I wish there was an easy way to decide."

"Why don't you battle with them and see who performs the best," Nikki suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. Are you offering to be my sparring partner?" Ash asked. As soon as he asked Nikki held up her hands in defense.

"Oh no. You're Pokémon are too strong for mine," she stated. Ash let out a sigh, realizing the girl was right.

"Well I don't want to pit them against each other. I need another trainer to test them against," he said.

"I'll battle you." The duo turned around and saw three trainers, two boys and a girl, approaching them. One of the boys, who appeared to be the elder of the group, was dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves ripped off, jeans that were frayed in the back and black shoes. He also had spiky blonde hair, red eyes and what appeared to be tribal tattoos on his left arm. The younger boy, who had brown hair and red eyes, wore a grey t-shirt, jeans and black shoes. The girl had long black hair and sparkling blue eyes and was wearing a blue shirt, jeans and white shoes.

"Sorry if we startled you," the girl said.

"Oh, that's okay. We just didn't know anyone else was here," Nikki reassured her.

"Allow me to introduce ourselves. I'm Itchy Kokochi from Goldenrod City," the older boy said. "This is my brother Scratchy Kokochi, also from Goldenrod, and my girlfriend Dani Ibu from Olivine City."

"Hi," Scratchy said.

"Nice to meet you," Dani added.

"Likewise," Ash replied. "I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."

"And I'm Nikita Lyons from Pinegrove Town, but everyone calls me Nikki," Nikki added. With the introductions done Itchy looked at Ash's Pokémon.

"These are some powerful-looking Pokémon," he commented. "You wouldn't happen to be getting ready to challenge the Gym Leader, would you?"

"I am, as soon as I can decide who to use that is," Ash answered. "You see, that's what I was doing out here when you showed up." After listening to Ash's dilemma Itchy gazed at Gible, Donphan and Onix.

"So it's between these three, huh," he guessed. "Well, you can pit them against my team if you want." Almost immediately a look of determination appeared on Ash's face.

"You're on!" he declared.

"Good. Would you mind being the ref, bro?" Itchy requested.

"Sure thing," Scratchy complied. As Ash and Itchy took their places on each side of the field Dani and Nikki went over to the sidelines.

"So, just how good is your boyfriend?" Dani asked.

"Huh? Boyfriend? Who, Ash?" Nikki questioned.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he **_is_** your boyfriend, isn't he?" Dani wondered.

"What? No, no, no! We're just friends! I haven't even known him that long!" Nikki said defensively. Dani quickly held up her hands.

"Okay, okay! I was just wondering," she stated. "In any case they're about to start the battle." Looking back at the field Ash and Itchy were indeed ready to begin their battle.

"Three-on-three, right?" Itchy asked.

"Yeah," Ash answered.

"Okay, send out your first Pokémon!" Scratchy called. Each trainer grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it out.

"Go, Donphan!" Ash shouted.

"Izanami, go!" Itchy shouted. From Ash's Poké Ball came his Donphan and from Itchy's came a female Gengar.

"So he's starting with her," Dani commented. Nikki took this time to take out her Pokédex and scan the two battling Pokémon.

**Donphan, the Armor Pokémon. It has sharp, hard tusks and a rugged hide. Its tackle is strong enough to knock down a house.**

**Gengar, the Gas Pokémon. It steals heat from its surroundings. If you feel a sudden chill, it is certain a Gengar appeared.**

"This will be an interesting first match," Dani commented.

"Okay… begin!" Scratchy shouted.

"Let's start off with Rollout, Donphan!" Ash instructed.

"(Let get things rolling!)" Donphan roared. He curled up into a ball and began to roll towards the Gengar.

"Float up and dodge!" Itchy shouted. Izanami obeyed her trainer and floated higher into the air, trying to dodge Donphan's Rollout.

"After her, Donphan!" Ash shouted. The Armor Pokémon bounced a few times while still doing Rollout and managed to launch himself up at the Gengar.

"Nice try, but not good enough! Ice Punch!"

"(Chill, big boy,)" Izanami taunted. She drew her fist back as it began to glow a shimmering blue. Then, once he was in range, she punched him as hard as she could. The Ice type attack damaged Donphan quite a bit, sending the heavyweight crashing down to Earth.

"Now finish him with Shadow Ball!" Itchy instructed. His Gengar brought her hands together in front of her, a small black orb of energy beginning to form.

"Quick, use Defense Curl!" Ash shouted. While Izanami readied her attack Ash had Donphan go on the defense. On Ash's command Donphan curled into a tight ball and braced for the attack. He didn't have to wait long, for moments later Izanami finished forming the Shadow Ball and hurled the dark orb down at the Armor Pokémon. As the attack hit Ash hoped Donphan's defenses were strong enough to take it, but his hopes were soon dashed as Donphan was soundly defeated by the Shadow Ball.

"Donphan's out! Izanami wins!" Scratchy announced.

"Izanami never did like taking too long with her opponents," Dani commented. Nikki was shocked to say the least. She never expected Ash to be defeated so easily.

"_Itchy made that look so… easy,"_ she said. While she thought about what she just witnessed Ash and Itchy recalled their Pokémon.

"That was a good effort, Donphan. Take a rest now," Ash said.

"Excellent work as always, Izanami," Itchy praised. "So, ready for Round 2?"

"You know it!" Ash replied.

"Good!" Itchy replied. "Let's go, Otohime!" His second Pokémon was a beautiful female Dragonair. Upon seeing his choice Ash began to think about who would be the best choice for him.

"_Let's see… Dragon types are weak to Ice and Dragon type moves. In that case…"_ He grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it out.

"Go, Gible!" he shouted. Ash's Dragon type appeared shortly after.

"So it's Dragon vs. Dragon. This should be interesting," Dani said. With two new Pokémon on the field Nikki once again took out her Pokédex.

**Dragonair, the Dragon Pokémon. Its crystalline orbs appear to give this Pokémon the power to freely control the weather.**

**Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. It nests in horizontal holes warmed by geothermal heat. Foes who get too close can expect to be pounced on and bitten.**

"I wonder who's Dragon is stronger," Dani commented. Nikki wondered the same thing. She didn't know what Itchy's Dragonair was capable of, and she had only briefly seen Ash's Gible in action. To her this battle would be a toss-up.

"I'll let you make the first move," Itchy offered.

"Okay, but you may regret it," Ash warned. "Rock Smash!" On Ash's command Gible charged the Dragonair, his tiny fist glowing white.

"Stop him with Protect!" Itchy instructed. Gible swung with all his might, but his attack was stopped easily by Otohime's Protect.

"Now blow him back with Twister!" Itchy shouted. With a flick of her tail Otohime conjured up a Twister attack that blew Gible back towards Ash, damaging the Land Shark Pokémon a bit in the process. Ash was amazed by the power of the Twister.

"Looks like we're going to have to try something that hits harder," he commented. "Draco Meteor!"

"That little guy knows Draco Meteor?" Dani gasped. Nikki smiled as she watched Gible form the orange ball of energy in his mouth.

"Let it rip!" Ash cheered. Gible aimed skyward and fired the attack. Once it reached its apex the orb exploded into multiple smaller ones, each one plummeting towards Otohime. Itchy was so amazed by this it took him a while to call out his next attack.

"Gather up that attack with Twister!" he shouted. His Dragonair flicked her tail again and conjured up another Twister. The two attacks met in mid-air, but in stead of canceling each other out the Draco Meteor began to swirl around the Twister.

"This doesn't look good," Ash gulped.

"Now send it back where it came from!" Itchy shouted. Otohime canceled her Twister and allowed the Draco Meteor to continue to fall, this time heading for Gible.

"Quick, use Dig!" Ash shouted. Sensing the urgency in his trainer's voice Gible quickly dug underground, just barely escaping the incoming Draco Meteor. Unfortunately as the attack made impact it shook the ground violently, forcing Gible back to the surface. The Land Shark Pokémon was left dazed and slightly exhausted, something Itchy was looking to take advantage of.

"Get in there with Dragon Rush!" he instructed. With a loud bellow his Dragonair charged Gible, her body giving off a bluish aura.

"Quick, Gible, stop her with Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted in a slight panic. Though he was slowly running out of energy Gible still managed to gather enough power to fire Dragon Pulse. However, in his exhausted state, his aim was way off as the attack sailed wide right, missing Dragonair completely. After that Ash noticed just how tired Gible was.

"_He doesn't have enough strength to fire off another attack,"_ he said. All he could do was watch as Otohime slammed into Gible with her Dragon Rush, knocking the little Dragon type out of the battle.

"Gible's out! Otohime wins!" Scratchy announced. Itchy recalled his Dragonair and thanked her for a job well done. Ash, on the other hand, ran out onto the field and scooped up Gible in his arms.

"Gible! Are you alright?" he asked.

"(I've… b-been better,)" he replied. "(S-Sorry I… c-couldn't win.)" Ash smiled and shook his head.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You did great out there," he said. Gible managed to flash an exhausted smile as Ash returned him to his Poké Ball.

"Okay, this is the final match! Choose wisely!" Scratchy called. Ash reached for a Poké Ball and threw it out.

"Go, Onix!" he shouted. The massive Rock Snake Pokémon emerged with a thunderous roar.

"He sounds ready to go," Itchy commented. "Then again, so are we! Go, Amaretsu!" His last Pokémon was a female Typhlosion, and from the look of her she appeared to be quite strong.

"I was wondering if he was going to use her," Dani said. Once again Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned Itchy's Pokémon.

**Typhlosion, the Volcano Pokémon. If its rage peaks, it becomes so hot that anything that touches it will instantly go up in flames.**

"Pretty hot stuff," she commented.

"Ready to go?" Itchy called.

"Just a sec," Ash replied. Since he was a bit unfamiliar with Onix's moves he took out his Pokédex to see what they were.

**Onix's known moves are: Iron Tail, Dragonbreath, Screech and Rock Throw.**

"Nice set of moves," Ash commented. "Okay, let's start off with Rock Throw!" Onix bellowed loudly and slammed his tail on the ground. A small white sphere then appeared next to his tail. The sphere grew in size and materialized into a large rock. Then, with a flick of his tail, Onix sent the rock hurtling towards Itchy's Typhlosion.

"Smash it with Rock Smash!" Itchy instructed. As the rock drew closer Amaretsu pulled her fist back. Right before the rock made contact she threw a punch, shattering the rock into hundreds of pieces.

"Now use Sunny Day!" With a loud roar the sunlight in the area grew more intense, forcing everyone to try and shield their eyes.

"I can't see!" Nikki shouted. As she tried to see through the blinding sunlight Dani handed her a pair of sunglasses.

"Put these on," she said. Nikki thanked her and quickly put the sunglasses on.

"Ah, much better," she said. Thankfully for Ash his cap kept the sun out of his eyes, which meant he could see what was coming, though he wouldn't like it.

"Use Solarbeam!" Itchy shouted. Due to the intense sunlight Amaretsu was able to charge up the attack in a short amount of time.

"Counter with Dragonbreath!" Ash shouted. Onix managed to get his Dragonbreath off at the same time Itchy's Typhlosion fired her Solarbeam. The two attacks crashed into each other and began fighting for dominance.

"Keep it up, Onix!" Ash cheered.

"Don't give in, Amaretsu!" Itchy urged. Both Pokémon kept up their attacks with each side appearing to be on even footing, but then the intense sunlight began to fade, and with it the power of Amaretsu's Solarbeam died down.

"Now's your chance, Onix! Pour it on!" Ash urged. With his opponent weakening Onix increased the power of his Dragonbreath, slowly pushing back the Solarbeam.

"Switch to Flame Wheel!" Itchy instructed. With Solarbeam not having enough power to match up with Dragonbreath Amaretsu switched tactics, curling into a ball and surrounding herself with flames.

"Now head straight for Onix!" Fully engulfed in Flame Wheel the Typhlosion charged her larger opponent.

"Intercept with Iron Tail!" Ash instructed. Onix stopped his Dragonbreath and switched to Iron Tail, slamming his Steel-powered tail right in Amaretsu's path.

"Don't let that stop you! Take that Flame Wheel right up to Onix's face!" Itchy urged. His Typhlosion used Onix's missed Iron Tail as a ramp and used it to travel up his body right to his face.

"Now use Rock Smash!" With a mischievous grin she struck Onix with her fist, rocking the Rock Snake Pokémon.

"Now finish him with a quick Solarbeam!" Itchy shouted.

"Quick, use Dragonbreath to defend yourself!" Ash shouted. With a sense of urgency Onix fired a desperation Dragonbreath. Unfortunately in his haste his aim was off and he completely missed Amaretsu, allowing her to power up her Solarbeam and fire it at point-blank range. Needless to say Onix couldn't handle the attack from that close and was promptly defeated.

"Onix is out! Amaretsu wins! That means my bro Itchy sweeps the battle!" Scratchy announced.

"Way to go, sweetie!" Dani cheered. While she and Scratchy went to congratulate Itchy on his victory Nikki went to see how Ash was taking the loss.

"That was a tough loss," she said once she reached him. "How are you?"

"That guy… he completely dominated me the entire battle. I never stood a chance," Ash sighed.

"I know, but you shouldn't let that get you down," Nikki stated.

"Get me down? Are you kidding? After this I'm more determined than ever to beat him!" At that point Ash looked up. Rather than a look of disappointment his face was one of sheer determination.

"One of these days I'm going to beat him," he declared.

"(Ugh… what hit me?)" Onix groaned. Ash and Nikki knelt down next to Onix's head.

"How you feeling, big guy?" Nikki wondered.

"(Like a herd of stampeding Snorlax just ran me over,)" Onix grunted. Ash gentle pet Onix's head.

"Don't worry. I'll get you and the others to Nurse Joy as soon as possible," he said. With a grateful smile Onix nodded as Ash returned him to his Poké Ball. Then he, along with Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary, walked over to congratulate Itchy.

"Well, you beat me this time," Ash said, extending his hand.

"Yeah, but I had a lot of fun," Itchy replied, shaking Ash's hand.

"Me too," Ash agreed. "Your Pokémon are strong."

"Thanks. I've been training with them for a long time," Itchy explained. "In fact, all of our Pokémon have been with us for a long time."

"I'd love to meet all of them," Nikki said.

"We'd be glad to show them to you, but for now I think our Pokémon need another quick check-up," Itchy suggested. Ash agreed with him as the five trainers headed inside. As soon as they entered the Pokémon Center the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth appeared from within the bushes on the edge of the field Ash and itchy used for their battle.

"The twerp just got his clock cleaned," James commented.

"Now's our chance to swoop in and snatch up Pikachu," Jessie said. Just as the two of them were making their move Meowth stopped them.

"What gives, Meowth? Why did you stop us?" James wondered.

"Because we don't have the power to stand up to all five of those twerps," the Scratch Cat Pokémon said. "If we try anything we'll get blasted off faster and further than ever."

"You may have a point there," Jessie said.

"Then what do we do?" James wondered.

"Simple. We go out and add to our own team," Meowth suggested. Jessie and James looked to each other briefly before looking back at Meowth.

"What, you mean go out and catch more Pokémon?" Jessie questioned. Meowth nodded.

"But why?" James asked.

"Think about it. Whenever the twerp has to battle a Pokémon he's not used to battling against he struggles," Meowth explained. "If we go out and catch some new Pokémon and then battle him he'll have a hard time against us." Now his companions were beginning to see where he was going with this.

"So we get new Pokémon, surprise the twerp, snatch all his Pokémon, present them to the Boss and get ready to shoot up the ranks of the Team Rocket empire," James said.

"I like it," Jessie added.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!" Meowth shouted. With a resounding cheer from his two partners-in-crime the trio left the vicinity of the Pokémon Center to go find new Pokémon to add to their evil team.

* * *

While waiting for their Pokémon to be returned Ash, Nikki, Itchy, Scratchy and Dani were sitting in the lobby discussing their goals. Ash was just finishing up retelling the events of the Sinnoh League.

"… and that's how it all ended. I really though I had a chance, but he utterly destroyed my team in the finals," he finished.

"Man, that's rough," Itchy commented.

"Tell me about it. I never felt so low in my life," Ash said.

"So, does that mean you're here to try and win the Legenda Championship?" Scratchy wondered.

"That's the idea. I hope to win and find a way to get stronger," Ash explained. "What about you guys?"

"I'm training so I can try and win the Johto League. After that I plan to open my own Pokémon Gym," Itchy answered.

"I'm traveling with my brother so I can learn as much about Pokémon as I can before I start my own journey," Scratchy said.

"I'm traveling with my boyfriend to find inspiration for new Capsule Seal designs," Dani answered. Upon hearing this Nikki immediately became more interested.

"You design Capsule Seals?" she asked.

"Yeah, or at least I want to," Dani answered. "Why? Are you a coordinator?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm trying to follow in my mother's footsteps and become a top coordinator," Nikki explained.

"Really? Then I may have you try out some of the Seals I design," Dani said.

"I'd be more than glad to try them out," Nikki said. Right then a chime went off inside the Pokémon Center.

"Looks like our Pokémon are ready," Itchy commented. The group headed for the front desk where Nurse Joy handed Ash and Itchy their Pokémon.

"Your Pokémon are all healthy now," she reported.

"Thank you," Itchy and Ash said simultaneously.

"However, I wouldn't recommend letting your Gible battle for a while, Ash. His exhaustion level was quite high," Nurse Joy said.

"I won't," Ash promised. With their Pokémon returned the group headed back outside.

"Okay, everyone! Come on out!" All five of them released their Pokémon. Along with the three that Ash battled against Itchy also had a Lanturn, a Ninetails and a Kadabra. Dani had a Scyther, a Pinser, a Growlithe and a Vulpix. From Scratchy's Poké Balls came a Flaaffy, a Machop and a Meowth.

"Wow! You guys have some nice Pokémon!" Nikki gasped.

"Thanks," Itchy replied. "You already met Izanami, Otohime and Amaretsu. This is my Lanturn Susanoo, my Ninetails Inari, and my Kadabra Omoikane."

"And these are mine. Flaaffy's name is Thor, Machop's is Odin and Meowth's is Loki," Scratchy said.

"Mine… don't have special names, but they're pleased to meet you," Dani said. All their Pokémon greeted Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon kindly.

"Nice to meet you all," Ash replied. It didn't take long for the Pokémon to begin playing amongst themselves, leaving the trainers to their own devices.

"So, any idea on a strategy for the Gym Leader?" Itchy questioned.

"Not yet, but that's never stopped me before," Ash declared.

"What if you can't come up with one?" Dani wondered.

"Then I'll just do what I always do… wing it and hope for the best," Ash answered.

"That may not work," Nikki stated.

"We won't know until I try," Ash countered. Nikki just sighed. In the short time she knew Ash she discovered that he had a way of making things work out in the end, no matter how unlikely it seemed at first. So rather than keep on the subject she joined the others in watching the Pokémon play. By this time tomorrow Ash would be challenging, and hopefully defeating, the Lunick Town Gym Leader.

* * *

Upon arriving in Lunick Town Ash and Nikki encounter a friendly trio of trainers. A battle follows soon after which ends in Ash being soundly defeated. What does this mean for his upcoming Gym battle? Will he find a way to win and earn his first badge? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	14. An EarthShaking Confrontation

**Chapter 14: An Earth-Shaking Confrontation**

After a good nights rest at the Pokémon Center Ash and his team were ready to face the Gym Leader and earn their first Legenda League badge. While Ash was confident that he would win Nikki wasn't as confident.

"I still think you should have taken a bit more time to come up with a battle strategy," she said. After his battle with Itchy Ash had failed to come up with a battle strategy, though it didn't seem to bother him that much.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that. I've been in situation like this before and still came out on top," he bragged.

"Yeah, but…"

"Relax. It'll be fine," Ash reassured her. He then continued to walk to the Gym, his confidence at an all-time high. Nikki, on the other hand, was a bit concerned that his confidence was actually over-confidence.

"(Do you think he has a chance?)" Buneary asked from her perch on Nikki's shoulder.

"I don't know," Nikki replied. "He may have faced similar challenges in the past, but I doubt if any of those leagues were as difficult as this." She then hurried and caught up to Ash as the duo continued on to the Lunick Town Gym.

* * *

"Wow… so this is the Lunick Town Gym," Ash gasped. The group arrived at the Gym and were now standing in front of the massive double doors that would take them inside. The large building was impressive from a distance, and even more so up close. Just by standing in front of it gave Ash goose-bumps. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves before a look of confidence came over his face.

"Okay, let's do this!" He placed his hands on the doors and pushed. He was granted access as the doors opened easily. He stepped inside with Nikki right behind him and looked around. There were bleachers on both sides of the Gym, and the battlefield in the center was covered in a loose layer of dirt and sand.

"Hello? Is anyone here? I've come for a Gym battle!" Ash shouted.

"Well, so my next challenger has finally arrived!" Across the battlefield Ash saw a young man who he assumed was the Gym Leader. He was wearing a white t-shirt with a tan vest, tan cargo pants and dark brown hiking boots.

"My name is Clayton. Are you my next challenger?" he asked.

"I am. My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ash announced.

"Pallet Town, you say? You've certainly traveled a long way from home," Clayton commented.

"I heard this league was challenging, so I came to see for myself," Ash said. This earned him a laugh out of Clayton.

"Is that so? Well, I hope we do not disappoint you," he laughed. "I assume since you've heard about this league you are aware of the rules?"

"I have," Ash replied.

"In that case I accept your challenge. Just don't expect me to go easy on you," Clayton warned.

"I don't want you to," Ash responded. While Ash and the Gym Leader prepared for their Gym battle Nikki took Pikachu and Buneary with her into the stands. As the took their seats in the front row the Pinegrove Town native could only hope Ash wasn't getting too overconfident.

"_I hope he's prepared,"_ she said to herself.

* * *

In a forest on the outskirts of the town the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth were searching for new Pokémon to add to their team. Unfortunately for them their search hadn't turned up anything that caught their interest.

"We've been looking all morning and have absolutely nothing to show for it," Jessie whined.

"Hey, less whining, more searching," Meowth demanded. "Those Pokémon aren't going to come to us."

"Come on, Meowth. If we haven't found anything yet what makes you think we'll find any if we keep looking?" James questioned.

"James is right. If there were any Pokémon worth finding we would have found them already," Jessie agreed. This earned the two of them a painful Scratch from their Pokémon companion.

"Ow! What was that for?" James shrieked.

"If you two go out with that attitude then we'll never find any Pokémon!" Meowth hissed. Jessie glared at Meowth, angered that he would turn his claws on her.

"Why you… I'll teach you to scratch my beautiful face!" Before Meowth could feel her wrath the trio heard some rustling in some nearby bushes.

"Hey! I think we found one!" James shouted. As they watched a Pokémon popped his head up from behind the bushes. The head was green with what looked like fruit hanging from his chin. A long neck went down to a quadruped body with large fern-like leaves that appeared to act as wings.

"What Pokémon is that?" Jessie wondered.

"Hold on. Let me check," James said. He took out his Pokémon flash cards and began searching though them. Eventually he found the one showing the Pokémon before them.

"Ah, it's a Tropius," he stated. "It's a Grass and Flying type that have edible fruit growing from their necks."

"Oh, that sounds yummy!" Jessie squealed.

"But… the fruit only ripens twice a year," James added. This immediately put a damper on her spirits.

"Well isn't that just great. This Pokémon produces a delicious snack that we can only eat twice a year," she griped.

"Try thinking with your head instead of your stomach," Meowth said. "What we have here is the perfect Pokémon to combat the twerps with."

"What do you mean?" Jessie questioned.

"Think about it. Whenever we try to make our getaway in our balloon the twerp always has his Flying type put a hole in our plans, right? With that Tropius we'll finally have a Flying type that can go head-to-head with his feather-heads," Meowth explained.

"Makes sense," James agreed.

"Hold on! What about my Yanmega? She's a Flying type too, you know!" Jessie argued.

"Please, your Yanmega stands about a much a chance against the twerps as a Caterpie does against Arceus," Meowth commented. Jessie gritted her teeth, a menacing growl emanating from her. Unfortunately, she knew the Scratch Cat Pokémon was absolutely right.

"So, who's going to catch him?" Meowth asked.

"Well, seeing as how I already have a Flying type and James seems to have a thing for Grass types he can have him," Jessie said. James was a bit surprised that Jessie would pass on the opportunity to catch a new Pokémon, but he was never one to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth.

"Alright, Carnivine! You've got work to do!" he shouted. He tossed Carnivine's Poké Ball, but instead of getting ready to battle the Tropius his Pokémon turned around and chomped down on his head.

"This isn't the kind of work I was talking about!" James cried. While he worked on dislodging his over-affectionate Pokémon from his head a rice ball fell from James's pocket and bounced along the ground, stopping right in front of Tropius.

"Hey! You're dropping your snack rations!" Meowth warned. Before any of them could retrieve the runaway rice ball the Tropius bent over and sniffed the snack. Curiosity took over and the Fruit Pokémon scooped it up in his jaws and devoured the snack.

"That was my rice ball!" James cried. While he mourned over the loss of his rice ball the Tropius apparently like the taste of it. He quickly walked up to James and began sniffing him to see if he had any more.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" James yelped.

"(That thing… do you have any more?)" the Fruit Pokémon asked.

"What? You mean my rice ball?" James questioned.

"(Is that what it was? It was tasty,)" the Tropius said. "(Do you have any more?)"

"Oh boy… this thing thinks with his stomach, too," Meowth groaned. While Meowth complained James was busy trying to get Carnivine off his head while Tropius continued to sniff him for more rice balls.

"H-Hey, th-hat t-tickles," James laughed.

"(I'm just looking for more rice balls,)" Tropius protested. After struggling with Carnivine for a bit more James was finally able to remove the Bug Catcher Pokémon from his head. With that issue dealt with he was free to address the Tropius.

"(Please tell me you have more rice balls,)" the Fruit Pokémon pleaded.

"You really like rice balls a lot, don't you," James commented. The Tropius nodded his head vigorously. This gave James an idea on how to catch the Tropius with minimal effort.

"You know, if you come with me you can have all the rice balls you can eat," he said. Almost immediately the Tropius's eyes grew big.

"(Really?)" he gasped.

"Really," James replied. "So, what do you say?" The response he got was the Tropius tackling him to the ground and nuzzling him with his head.

"(Yes! Yes! I'll go with you! As long as I can have more of those delicious rice balls!)" he shouted. If it wasn't for the fact that he was being crushed under the weight of the Tropius James would have been a very happy person at the moment.

"(So when are you going to catch me?)" Tropius excitedly asked.

"As soon… as you get… off me," James wheezed. The Pokémon quickly got off and waited for James to capture him. After taking some time to catch his breath the Team Rocket member got to his feet.

"(Come on, come on! Hurry up!)" the Tropius urged.

"Alright. Just be patient," James replied. He grabbed an empty Poké Ball and faced the Tropius.

"Now… Poké Ball, go!" He hurled the red-and-white sphere through the air at the waiting Tropius. The Fruit Pokémon made no attempt to dodge as the ball his him and sucked him inside. The light on the front flashed three times before a 'ping' echoed through the air, signaling that the Pokémon had been captured. James walked over and picked up the Poké Ball containing his newest capture.

"Hehe, Tropius is mine!" he cheered.

"Well, now that that's out of the way it's high time I caught something of my own," Jessie declared. She then began walking away, Meowth right behind her.

"Would you come on, James!" she hollered. Once he realized they were leaving him he recalled Carnivine and rushed to catch up.

"Hey! Wait for me!" he cried. Once he caught up with Jessie and Meowth the trio resumed their search for new Pokémon.

* * *

"The Lunick Town Gym battle between the challenger, Ash of Pallet Town, and the Gym Leader, Clayton, will now begin!" the referee announced. "Each trainer will be allowed the use of three Pokémon with only the challenger being allowed to make substitutions! As per the Gym guidelines only Ground types are allowed!" Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary waited patiently for the battle to get underway. All three knew Ash was determined to win, but they also knew Clayton was just as determined.

"(Go for it, Ash!)" Pikachu cheered.

"(You can do it!)" Buneary added.

"Show him what you're made of!" Nikki shouted. Ash looked to his friends and waved.

"Thanks for the support! I'll do my best!" he replied. There was no doubt in their minds he'd do his best, but they all wondered if his best would be good enough, especially since he failed to come up with a battle strategy.

"If you don't mind I'll get things started," Clayton said. "Quagsire, to the field!" From Clayton's Poké Ball came a blue Pokémon that stood upright on short legs, using his tail for balance while his arms hung to his sides. It's body was slightly rounded as he stared ahead with a slightly blank expression.

"Let's see what my Pokédex knows about him," Nikki said. She took it out and scanned him.

**Quagsire, the Water Fish Pokémon. Due to its relaxed and carefree attitude, it often bumps its head on boulders and boat hulls as it swims.**

"Not exactly the choice I would have made," she commented. "On the bright side this plays right in Ash's favor." Once he saw what Pokémon Clayton chose Ash wasted no time in selecting his own.

"Torterra, I choose you!" he shouted. The Continent Pokémon emerged from his Poké Ball and declared his dominance by slamming his four feet onto the ground, sending shockwaves throughout the Gym.

"M-Man… Torterra looks ready to rock!" Nikki commented.

"Smart move, sending out your Torterra against my Quagsire," Clayton praised. "Of course it'll take more than a type advantage to defeat me."

"Torterra has more than just the type advantage," Ash said.

"Is that so? Well then, show me what other advantages your Pokémon has over mine," Clayton challenged.

"Gladly! Torterra, Leaf Storm!" A loud bellow escaped Torterra's mouth as the tree on his back began to glow. Moments later a swirling vortex of leaves shot from the tree, spiraling upwards. Torterra then redirected the leaves at Quagsire.

"Use Dig to dodge!" Clayton instructed. Right before the Leaf Storm hit the Quagsire burrowed underground, completely avoiding the attack.

"What the… where did he go?" Ash shouted. He and Torterra looked around for any indication of where Quagsire would surface.

"Now, Ice Beam!" Clayton instructed. The next thing they knew Quagsire surfaced behind Torterra and shot him with a freezing-cold Ice Beam. Despite being vulnerable to that type of attack Torterra managed to withstand it, though the attack did take its toll.

"Stay strong! I know you can do it!" Ash urged.

"(Come on, Torterra!)" Pikachu cheered. Through the support from everyone Torterra found the strength to keep going.

"(Okay… I'm ready to go!)" Torterra growled.

"Alright! Now, use Energy Ball!" Ash shouted.

"Dig!" Clayton said.

"Again?" Ash groaned as Torterra's Energy Ball passed over the new hole Quagsire dug to dodge.

"Ice Beam!" Just like last time Quagsire shot up from the ground and blasted Torterra with his Ice Beam. This time, though, the attack caused quite a bit of damage to the Continent Pokémon.

"This isn't good. Clayton's found a perfect way to protect his Quagsire from his weaknesses while still allowing him to attack," Nikki commented. "Ash is going to have a rough go of it if he can't find a way to land an attack." The group continued to watch as Quagsire used Dig to dodge Torterra's attacks and then counter with Ice Beam.

"_Oh man… Torterra's getting take apart out there,"_ Ash mused. _"I have to land an attack somehow, but every time I attack Clayton has Quagsire dig underground… dig underground? That's it!"_ With a battle plan set in his head Ash went back on the offensive.

"Use Energy Ball!" he shouted. Just like before Torterra formed the glowing green sphere in his mouth and fired at Quagsire.

"Dodge with Dig!" Clayton shouted.

"_Just like I planned,"_ Ash thought. He watched as the Quagsire dug underground and avoided the Energy Ball.

"Now use Rock Climb!" Ash shouted.

"(Oh, I get what he's doing now!)" Pikachu shouted. While Nikki and Buneary were in the dark about it Ash's plan went into action. The claws on Torterra's feet grew in length. He then stood up on his hind legs briefly before coming crashing back down to Earth. The impact caused the ground to shoot up, going higher the further it went along. Once the peak rose up Quagsire was expelled from underground.

"Yeah! No go get him!" Ash cheered.

"(You got it!)" Torterra roared. Filled with a newfound energy he ran right up the incline on a beeline for Quagsire.

"Well, that was quite the unique tactic. But I'm afraid that it's not enough!" Clayton shouted. "Use Dig!" In a move that surprised everyone Quagsire dug into the incline.

"Oh no!" Ash shouted.

"Now Ice Beam!" Clayton instructed. The next thing Ash knew Quagsire shot out of the ground right beneath Torterra, sending the massive Pokémon sliding down the incline. Then, as a final touch, Quagsire hit the Continent Pokémon with Ice Beam, finally defeating his larger opponent.

"Torterra is unable to battle! Quagsire wins!" the referee announced. Ash stood there in shock as the Pokémon he considered his trump card went down in defeat. He recalled him, thanking him for his efforts.

"With Torterra down Ash's chances of winning just took a huge hit," Nikki commented.

"Now Donphan, I choose you!" Ash shouted, tossing his second Poké Ball. The Armor Pokémon appeared and immediately got in his battle stance.

"Start off with Take Down!" Ash shouted. Though he wasn't very swift Donphan charged forward, an orange glow in his wake.

"A head-on attack… not too wise," Clayton commented. "Stop him with Water Gun!" Quagsire breathed in deeply and spat out a powerful stream of water, hitting Donphan in mid-attack. Unfortunately it did little to stop him. In fact it barely slowed his momentum down.

"Quick, Dig!" Clayton shouted. With little time to spare Quagsire retreated underground just as Donphan reached his position.

"Oh come on, not this again?" Ash griped. In the stands Nikki and the Pokémon could see Ash losing his composure.

"Now use Water Gun!" Clayton instructed. Right as Donphan passed over the hole he was sent into the air by a powerful stream of water.

"Quick, use Ice Beam before he hits the ground!" While Donphan was still airborne Quagsire shot out of his hole and fired his Ice beam. Because Donphan was still slightly damp from the Water Gun the Ice Beam was much more effective, freezing some of the water covering the Armor Pokémon.

"Use Rollout to break your fall!" Ash shouted. With little time to act Donphan curled into a ball and began rolling. Just as Ash had hoped using Rollout did soften the impact a bit, but Donphan was still left a bit shaken up from his fall.

"Can you keep going?" Ash asked. Donphan cleared his head and looked back at his trainer.

"(Oh yeah! I'm ready to keep this thing rolling!)" he bellowed. Ash smiled at his choice of words.

"Well then, keep that Rollout going!" he said.

"(You got it!)" Donphan bellowed. He quickly curled into a ball once again and began his Rollout, this time heading right for Quagsire.

"Use Ice Beam on the ground!" Clayton shouted. Both Clayton and his Quagsire noticed that the ground was still wet from the earlier Water Gun, giving them the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Donphan's momentum. The Mud Fish Pokémon fired his Ice Beam at the ground, freezing the water puddles that were in Donphan's path.

"Quick, Ash! Call off Donphan's attack!" Nikki shouted. By the time Ash realized what was happening Donphan was already slipping and sliding across the ice.

"Now use Water Gun!" Clayton shouted. As Donphan slid past Quagsire hit him in the back with a Water Gun, making the Armor Pokémon slide faster. He eventually hit the Gym wall, where he was knocked out cold.

"Donphan is unable to battle! Quagsire wins!" the referee shouted. Nikki and Buneary gasped while Pikachu looked on in disbelief.

"Now he's down 3-to-1 and all he has left is Onix!" Nikki panicked.

"(How is he supposed to win now?)" Buneary asked.

"To tell you the truth I don't think he can," Nikki answered. "What do you think, Pikachu?"

"(It doesn't look good, but I still believe that Ash can pull out a win,)" the Mouse Pokémon said. The three of them watched as Ash grabbed his final Poké Ball.

"I know this is your first real battle, but I know you have what it takes to win," he said. He pulled his hand back and hurled the Poké Ball.

"Onix, I choose you!" he shouted. The Poké Ball opened and released the massive Rock Snake Pokémon. Onix bellowed, issuing a challenge to the opposing Pokémon. Quagsire glared back, but everyone could see he was tiring.

"Quagsire must be tired after facing off against Torterra and Donphan," Nikki commented. "Hopefully this will give Ash and Onix some kind of advantage."

"Let's end this quick, Quagsire! Use Water Gun!" Clayton shouted. Quagsire fired his Water Gun, but it was clearly not as strong as it was earlier.

"Counter with Dragonbreath!" Ash instructed. Onix opened his mouth and expelled a white flame, the Dragon-type attack colliding with Quagsire's Water Gun. At first it appeared to be a stalemate, but with Quagsire's exhaustion catching up to him Onix was able to easily overpower the Water Gun and strike Quagsire with his Dragonbreath. The attack, combined with the toll taken from the previous battles, was too much for Quagsire. The Pokémon fell over, finally defeated.

"Quagsire is unable to battle! Onix wins!" the referee announced.

"Alright! Way to go, Onix!" Nikki cheered. Pikachu and Buneary also cheered for Onix's victory.

"I knew you could do it!" Ash praised. Then, without warning, Onix grabbed him with his tail and hugged him, nuzzling him with his head.

"(I did it! I won my battle!)" he exclaimed.

"I'm… so proud," Ash said, struggling to get his words out through Onix's crushing hug. After a bit Onix placed Ash back down and got ready for his next opponent.

"Gliscor, to the field!" Clayton's second Pokémon resembled a bat with a long forked tail.

"T-That Pokémon looks wicked," Nikki stuttered. She once again took out her Pokédex and scanned Clayton's new Pokémon.

**Gliscor, the Fang Scorp Pokémon. It's flight is soundless. It uses its lengthy tail to carry off prey. Then its elongated fangs do the rest.**

"(I would not want something like that carrying me off,)" Buneary said, her body shivering slightly with fear. Nikki picked her up and held her close, doing her best to comfort her scared Normal type.

"Don't worry. I'd never let that happen to you," she said soothingly. Buneary's fear eventually subsided, allowing them to watch the remainder of Ash's Gym battle.

"Let's make our first move a good one, Onix! Use Rock Throw!" Ash called. Onix bellowed, a glowing white sphere forming in front of him. The sphere materialized into a large rock. Then, using his tail, Onix knocked the rock right at Gliscor.

"X-Scissor!" Clayton instructed. Gliscor's claws took on a bluish glow as he slashed at the rock, his claws forming an X-shape. The rock was successfully sliced apart, the four pieces flying harmlessly by the Fang Scorp Pokémon.

"Ice Fang!" With the rock gone Gliscor went on the attack, the fangs in his mouth taking on a blue glow.

"Stop him with Dragonbreath!" Ash shouted. Once again Onix expelled the white flames from his mouth.

"Dodge it!" Clayton shouted. With a slight shift of his wings Gliscor easily avoided the Dragonbreath and continued on to deliver his Ice Fang. He bit down on Onix's neck, his ice-cold fangs causing a great deal of damage.

"Hang in there, Onix!" Ash urged.

"(It… hurts!)" Onix groaned, the Ice type attack causing him great pain.

"Now finish him with Guillotine!" Clayton ordered. Gliscor dove for Onix once again, his right claw opened wide for his final attack.

"Watch out, Onix!" Ash warned. The Rock Snake Pokémon looked up just in time to see Gliscor diving for him, but not in time to avoid the attack. The claw clamped down on his throat as Gliscor drove him to the ground, knocking him out instantly.

"Onix is unable to battle! Gliscor wins! The victory goes to the Gym Leader, Clayton!" Ash stood there in shock. There was no way he thought he'd lose on his very first attempt.

"No…" Nikki gasped. She, Pikachu and Buneary were just a shocked by the outcome as Ash was. On the other side of the field Clayton recalled his Gliscor.

"Well done, my friend," he praised. He then turned his attention to Ash, who had just recalled Onix.

"You need to work on your battle strategy some more if you want to defeat me," he said. Though it wasn't what he wanted to hear Ash knew he was right. Not having some kind of battle plan really cost him in this battle.

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center Ash's Pokémon were getting looked at by Nurse Joy. Ash was sitting at one of the tables going over his Gym battle in his head. No matter how he looked at it he knew that without a strategy he was doomed to lose.

"_Maybe I should have taken Nikki's advice and came up with a plan before challenging the Gym Leader,"_ he mused. As he was thinking Nikki approached him with Pikachu and Buneary in tow. She sat down across from him, a look of concern on her face.

"You okay?" she asked.

"About as okay as I can be," Ash answered. "You were right. I should have taken time to come up with a battle plan. If I did I might have won."

"Well, that's just something you can work on for next time," Nikki suggested.

"Yeah, but that's not the only thing I need to work on," Ash stated. "His Pokémon are really powerful. No matter what attack I threw at them they had an answer for it."

"What are you saying?" Nikki wondered.

"It's going to take more than just a battle plan to win. I'll need to work on strengthening my Pokémon's moves," Ash explained.

"(Does that mean it's time for some special training?)" Pikachu asked.

"Yeah. By the time we're done that first badge will be as good as ours!" Ash declared. Nikki was amazed by how quickly Ash's mood turned around.

"_He doesn't stay bummed for very long," _she said. She smiled as she watched Ash and Pikachu get excited about their upcoming training session. Hopefully this upcoming training session would translate into a victory for Ash and his Pokémon.

* * *

Ash's first Gym battle may have resulted in a loss, but already Ash is looking forward to preparing for the rematch. Will he be able to come up with a winning battle plan? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	15. Old Team, New Pokémon

**Chapter 15: Old Team, New Pokémon**

The next day Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon were standing in the middle of a field on the outskirts of town. After their loss at the Lunick Gym the previous day Ash and his Pokémon were eager to right the ship and get back on the winning track.

"Okay, guys. We may have lost yesterday, but that just means we have to work harder and come back stronger," Ash declared, getting a round of cheers from his Pokémon.

"And let's not forget about coming up with a strategy this time. That's what beat you last time," Nikki pointed out. Ash nodded in agreement and began thinking about the battle.

"Well, from what I've seen he likes to have his Quagsire use Dig and then come at us from different angles, so we have to find someway to take him out before he can cause us too much trouble," Ash mused. "We don't know much about his Gliscor, or what his third Pokémon is."

"(So how do we prepare for an opponent we don't know a lot about, or for one we know nothing about to begin with?)" Pikachu questioned.

"I wish I had the answer," Ash replied. "For now I think everyone should split into pairs and spar with each other. Try to think of new offensive strategies to combat Clayton and his Ground types." The Pokémon nodded and paired off in groups to train. Onix sparred with Gible, Bayleef with Torterra and Pikachu with Donphan.

"So Ash, what do you have planned for the next attempt?" Nikki questioned.

"First of all I need to find a way to stop his Quagsire from using Dig to hit us from our blind sides. Then I need to find a way to combat Gliscor," Ash explained. "I'll also need to think of what his third Pokémon could be."

"We know it'll be a Ground type, but that's it. Not really much to go on," Nikki said.

"It's better than nothing," Ash commented. With that he got to work thinking of a strategy to use against the Gym Leader while his Pokémon practiced their various battle techniques.

* * *

After James captured his Tropius the mischievous trio continued searching for a Pokémon that Jessie could catch. Unfortunately none of the Pokémon they found seemed to pique her interest.

"Come on, Jessie. We've come across tons of Pokémon for you to catch. Why are we still looking?" James whined.

"Because none of those Pokémon were worthy of me," Jessie declared.

"But we've come across everything from Butterfree to Glameow. One of them should have been good enough," Meowth argued.

"Well they weren't! Now stop complaining and keep looking!" Jessie demanded. With very loud sighs James and Meowth kept their eyes opened for any potential Pokémon for Jessie.

"I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever find a Pokémon Jessie will deem worthy," James whispered.

"No kidding. She's more picky than a Skitty," Meowth commented. The trio continued their search, though James and Meowth wondered what the point of it all was. Not long after thinking that they came across a Pokémon.

"What is that?" Jessie asked. The Pokémon looked like a snail with a lava body and a rock for a shell. James immediately began searching through his index cards.

"Let's see… ah! That's a Magcargo," he informed her.

"Not something I'd have an interest in," Meowth commented.

"Now hold on one second," Jessie said, catching her companions by surprise.

"Now don't tell me you're actually interested in that," Meowth said.

"And why not? That Magcargo may be just what we're looking for," Jessie replied.

"What makes you say that?" James asked.

"Oh come on! Just look at him! That rough and rugged exterior shows that he has the toughness to take the twerps' Pokémon head-on," Jessie explained. "Not only that but I think I could turn him into quite the interesting Contest Pokémon."

"I'll give you part about being able to take on the twerps' Pokémon, but that thing is not Contest material," James repeated.

"I gotta agree with Jimmy-boy on this one. That Magcargo looks a bit too rough around the edges to be a good Contest Pokémon," Meowth commented. Unfortunately for them Jessie didn't take objections too well.

"I don't care what you two think! I'm catching that Magcargo and that's that!" she boomed, causing James and Meowth to recoil in fear. Her outburst got the Magcargo's attention.

"(What's going on over there?)" the Lava Pokémon questioned. Seeing that she had his attention Jessie grabbed a Poké Ball and prepared to battle.

"You're mine!" she declared. "Seviper, let's go!" Her Fang Snake Pokémon appeared and took a battle stance. As soon as he realized what was going on the Magcargo took a battle stance as well.

"Let's start off the proceedings with Poison Tail!" Jessie ordered.

"(At onc-ce,)" Seviper hissed. He lunged at the Magcargo, his bladed tail glowing a bright purple. Right before the blow struck home the Magcargo's eyes flashed green and a barrier was formed between him and the attacking Seviper, effectively blocking the Poison Tail.

"That was Protect!" Meowth shouted. Then, before Seviper could recover, the Magcargo spat a stream of flames at him.

"Now he's using Flamethrower!" James shouted.

"Dodge that, Seviper!" Jessie ordered. Right before the Flamethrower struck Seviper slithered out of the way.

"Time for a different approach! Use Haze!" Obeying his master Seviper spewed a thick Haze cloud in the Magcargo's direction, effectively disorienting the Lava Pokémon.

"Now get in there and use Wrap!" Jessie shouted. The Fang Snake Pokémon plunged into the Haze cloud and quickly found the Magcargo, wrapping his serpentine body around him.

"Now use Bite!" While still wrapped around the Magcargo, Seviper bit down on his shell, getting a painful groan out of the Lava Pokémon.

"Now finish up with Poison Tail!" Jessie ordered. Seviper flung the Magcargo into the air and, right as he was about to hit the ground, slapped him to the side with a powerful Poison Tail. The Magcargo was left weakened, giving Jessie the perfect opportunity to capture it.

"Okay, Poké Ball! Let's go!" she shouted, tossing her red-and-white sphere at the Magcargo. The ball bounced off the Magcargo, converted his body into energy and pulled him inside. The ball hit the ground and began to shake.

"Did… Did it work?" Meowth wondered. He, along with Jessie and James, continued to watch the Poké Ball shake. After a few tense moments the ball stopped shaking and a 'ping' echoed through the air, signaling that the Magcargo had been successfully captured.

"Hey, you actually caught it!" Meowth shouted. Jessie, with a smirk on her face, walked over and picked the Poké Ball up.

"Naturally," she boasted.

"You know, with our new Pokémon I'm feeling confident enough to take the twerps on right now," James bragged. At that moment the trio heard a pair of voices nearby. They followed the voices and eventually came across Ash and Nikki in the middle of their training session.

"Well, looks like we're getting our chance," Jessie commented. "Shall we?"

"After you," James offered. Filled with a new sense of confidence the trio prepared to make their presence known.

* * *

The training session had been going well. All of Ash's Pokémon were in top form and appeared ready for their rematch against Clayton. However, Ash was still having difficulty coming up with an effective battle strategy.

"Oh man… my Pokémon are ready to go, but without a battle plan we'll still lose," he groaned.

"Just take your time. No one said you have to challenge the Gym Leader again so quickly," Nikki suggested.

"I know, but my Pokémon are raring to go and I don't want to make them wait," Ash replied. "They want to battle again so badly."

"Then allow us to satisfy their urges!" The next thing Ash and Nikki knew Team Rocket appeared from the forest.

"Not you three?" Ash groaned.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Alright, what do you want this time?" Nikki demanded.

"What we always want: your Pokémon!" Jessie answered.

"As if that's going to happen. Every time you three try anything you end up being blasted off!" Ash said.

"(That's right!)" Pikachu agreed.

"That was true in the past, but this time will be different," Jessie said.

"Really? And what makes you say that?" Nikki questioned. At that moment both Jessie and James smirked.

"Simple… you two aren't the only ones with new Pokémon," Jessie said. "Go, Magcargo!"

"Tropius, come out!" James shouted. Two Poké Balls flew through the air, opening to reveal their newest Pokémon. But upon appearing Tropius turned around and tackled James to the ground.

"What are you doing, Tropius?" James griped.

"(Rice ball, please,)" Tropius requested. With an exasperated sigh James reached into his jacket, took out a rice ball and gave it to the Fruit Pokémon, who was more than happy to devour it right then and there.

"(Mmm…. yummy,)" Tropius sighed.

"Now, would you mind getting off and battling please?" James asked.

"(Okay!)" With a flap of his wings Tropius flew out and landed next to Magcargo.

"Did you expect them to have new Pokémon with them?" Nikki asked Ash.

"No, but it doesn't matter. We're going to beat them anyway!" Ash declared. He glanced back at his Pokémon and saw all of them were ready to battle. He then looked back to Team Rocket, a smirk on his face.

"So, still feeling confident?" Ash inquired.

"Oh yes, very much so," Jessie replied with a smirk of her own. "In fact we're so confident that we'll let you make the first move." This didn't set too well with James and Meowth, who immediately began to question Jessie's actions.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing," the redhead told them.

"Okay, you asked for it! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"(One Electric blast off coming right up!)" Pikachu said. Seconds later a bolt of electricity erupted from his body, heading straight for Team Rocket.

"Magcargo, Protect," Jessie calmly instructed.

"(Right,)" Magcargo complied. Right before the Thunderbolt hit it was blocked by a shimmering green barrier.

"What the… they blocked it!" Ash groaned.

"Now use Flamethrower!" Jessie ordered. Magcargo took a deep breath and spewed a massive stream of fire at Pikachu.

"Dodge it!" Ash shouted. Pikachu managed to jump out of the way of the Flamethrower, but that left him wide-open for Tropius. However, James had no idea what attacks his new Tropius could use.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and call an attack!" Jessie demanded.

"Oh, right!" James replied. "Umm… just what can you do?" Jessie and Meowth groaned at his incompetence.

"(Well, I can use Fly, Stomp and Magical Leaf,)" Tropius informed him.

"Alright then, use Magical Leaf!" James shouted.

"(Sure thing!)" Tropius flapped his wings, sending a volley of glowing green leaves at Pikachu.

"Get out of there, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. Unfortunately the attack came too fast for Pikachu to dodge and he took the full brunt of the Magical Leaf.

"Pikachu's in trouble!" Nikki gasped.

"Not for long! Let's give him some back-up, gang!" Almost immediately the rest of Ash's Pokémon sprang into action. Torterra and Bayleef were the first ones to act, firing a Razor Leaf and Leaf Storm respectively.

"Another Protect, Magcargo!" Jessie ordered. Once again the shimmering green barrier appeared and blocked the attacks.

"Come on!" Ash groaned, growing increasingly frustrated.

"Calm down, Ash," Nikki said, trying to keep Ash from losing his cool. "Remember, the more times you use Protect consecutively the higher the chance it could fail."

"That's right! There's no guarantee that Magcargo will be able to block out next attack!" Ash said. "In that case… Donphan, Rollout! Onix, Iron Tail!" The two Pokémon Charged their opponents, Donphan rolling into a ball and Onix with his tail giving off a silvery glow.

"Stop them with Magical Leaf!" James ordered. Taking advantage of Tropius's type advantage James countered with a Grass attack, the glowing green leaves hitting their marks and causing a considerable amount of damage to both Donphan and Onix.

"Donphan! Onix!" Ash cried.

"Flamethrower!" Ash turned around just in time to see Magcargo torch Torterra and Bayleef with his Flamethrower. With four of his Pokémon now down for the count it all fell on Pikachu and Gible to drive off Team Rocket, and both of them were up to the task.

"Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Gible, Dragon Pulse!" Ash instructed. The two Pokémon complied, Pikachu firing a blast of electricity and Gible a pulsing orb of Dragon-type energy.

"Magcargo, Protect!" Jessie ordered.

"Tropius, fly behind Magcargo!" James instructed. As Magcargo erected his Protect barrier Tropius flew down and landed behind him. As a result both attacks were effectively blocked, resulting in Team Rocket's Pokémon taking no damage. Ash groaned in frustration upon seeing his attacks fail once again.

"Use Stomp, Tropius!" James shouted. On James's command Tropius flew out from behind Magcargo and dove down at Pikachu.

"Watch out, Pikachu!" Ash warned. The Mouse Pokémon looked up in time to see the massive Fruit Pokémon bearing down on him. He tried to run out of the way, but tripped over his feet and fell face-first to the ground.

"Pikachu, no!" Ash cried. Before he could do anything else Tropius brought his entire body weight down onto Pikachu, stomping him into the ground. Moments later Tropius stepped off of Pikachu, revealing the battered Mouse Pokémon. Nikki gasped when she saw the condition Pikachu was left in.

"Well, it seems that you twerps have finally met your match," Jessie boasted.

"With our new Pokémon we're unbeatable!" James bragged. Ash didn't want to admit it, but the way things stood they did seem to have the upper hand. The only Pokémon Ash had that was in top form was Gible, while both of Team Rocket's Pokémon were in perfect fighting shape. Just when it appeared as though Ash would have to go this in a two-on-one situation Nikki and Buneary stepped up.

"Come on! It's not over with yet! We can still beat them!" Nikki encouraged.

"(That's right!)" Buneary agreed. Ash looked at her, a bit surprised, but seconds later a look of determination appeared on his face.

"You heard her, Gible! Let's do this!" Ash shouted. Filled with the same determination as his trainer Gible ran up and stood next to Buneary as they prepared to face off against Team Rocket.

"So the little twerpette wants to try her had against us. Well, be careful you don't get burned! Flamethrower!" Magcargo breathed in deeply and spewed a massive flame at the two of them.

"Dodge!" Ash and Nikki shouted. Gible and Buneary jumped to the side, letting the Flamethrower pass harmlessly between them.

"Now use Dragon Pulse!" Ash instructed.

"Protect!" Jessie ordered. Once again Gible's attack was blocked by Magcargo's Protect.

"My turn! Hidden Power!" Nikki called. As soon as Gible's attack struck the Protect barrier Buneary hurled her Hidden Power at the shield.

"Keep that Protect up!" Jessie ordered. Magcargo did as instructed, but when the Hidden Power hit the barrier shattered and the attack struck the Lava Pokémon, causing a large amount of damage.

"What the… What just happened?" Jessie shrieked.

"Like I said earlier, the more consecutive times you use Protect the more likely it is to fail!" Nikki explained.

"And now it's our turn to go on the attack! Gible, another Dragon Pulse!" Ash instructed. With everyone focused on Magcargo Gible was able to fire his Dragon Pulse and catch Tropius off guard, knocking him down next to Magcargo.

"Alright, we got them!" Ash cheered.

"That's what you think!" Jessie argued. Both she and James were preparing second Poké Balls when Torterra managed to get back to his feet.

"(No you don't!)" he grunted. He stood up on his hind legs briefly before slamming his forelegs down on the ground, sending massive shockwaves throughout the area.

"W-What's g-going o-on?" Jessie shouted.

"I t-think Torterra j-just learned Earthquake!" Nikki shouted once the tremors subsided.

"Earthquake? That's awesome, Torterra!" Ash bragged. Then, one by one, the rest of Ash's Pokémon began to recover. Now with seven angry Pokémon staring them down Team Rocket began to lose their nerve.

"Guys… I don't think we're going to like this!" Meowth shouted.

"No, you won't!" Ash shouted. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Onix, Dragonbreath! Donphan, Hyper Beam! Bayleef, Razor Leaf! Gible, Draco Meteor! Torterra, Energy Ball!"

"Buneary, use Hidden Power!" Nikki added. The seven attacks hit their marks, creating a massive explosion that sent Team Rocket and their Pokémon hurtling through the air.

"Even with new Pokémon we can't win!" Jessie cried.

"What went wrong? These new Pokémon were supposed to give us an instant turnaround!" James griped.

"Well that instant turnaround turned into a delayed blastoff!" Meowth complained.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they all cried before vanishing over the horizon.

"Alright, gang! That was some great teamwork!" Ash praised.

"Hopefully they'll stay out of our hair for a while," Nikki commented. "In any case your team is looking primed and ready for action."

"Not only that but with Torterra learning Earthquake I think we may be coming close to a breakthrough," Ash added.

"(So does that mean you've got a game plan?)" Pikachu questioned.

"The beginnings of one, at least," Ash told him. "With a bit of time I should be able to come up with a winning strategy, and then that Gym badge will be as good as ours!" With their confidence now at an all-time high Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon got back to working on a strategy for the Lunick Town Gym Leader.

* * *

After an eventful training session that included another Team Rocket attack, as well as Torterra learning Earthquake, Ash and his Pokémon are feeling confident that they'll come up with a winning strategy for their Lunick Town Gym rematch. Will the second time be the charm? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	16. Team Rocket's Machine Age

**Chapter 16: Team Rocket's Machine Age**

After an intense training session Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon were taking a much needed break inside the Pokémon Center. Things were looking up for Ash. With Torterra recently learning Earthquake he was beginning to formulate a battle strategy for his rematch with Clayton at the Lunick City Gym.

"Okay, with Torterra's Earthquake taking care of his Quagsire's Dig that's one less Pokémon we have to plan for," Ash said. "Now we just need to come up with a strategy for the other two."

"(But the only one we know of is his Gliscor,)" Pikachu pointed out.

"Gliscor's a Flying type as well as a Ground type, so Torterra would be at a serious disadvantage," Nikki said. "Onix, on the other hand, benefits from Gliscor's Flying typing because of his Rock typing, not to mention that he can use Rock Throw."

"In that case we'll need to work on his Rock Throw," Ash said. "That just leave us with Clayton's third Pokémon."

"(Well, without knowing what it is we can't plan for it,)" Pikachu stated.

"Even so we have to come up with plans for whatever it may be," Ash said.

"Well if you need any extra brainpower we'll be glad to help," Nikki offered.

"(That's right,)" Buneary agreed.

"Thanks, you two. Between all of us we'll have a winning strategy figured out in no time," Ash declared.

"Definitely," Nikki agreed. "So, what's first on the agenda?"

"Well, thinking is only one part of what we need to focus on. We also need to work on perfecting our moves," Ash stated.

"So I'm guessing a training session is in order," Nikki assumed.

"Yeah. After everyone's had a good rest we'll head out for some more training," Ash said. "In the meantime let's try and come up with a good battle strategy." With their Pokémon resting Ash and Nikki began to discuss possible battle strategies as Ash continued to prepare for his rematch with Clayton.

* * *

Elsewhere, the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth were moping after their most recent failure. Or, to be more specific, Jessie and James were. At the moment Meowth was nowhere to be found.

"Man, even with our new Pokémon the twerps still trounced us pretty bad," James groaned. As he wallowed in self-pity Tropius nudged his arm. James looked to his Pokémon and managed a slight smile.

"Do you want a rice ball?" he inquired. Immediately Tropius nodded his head. Reaching into his pocket James took out a rice ball and fed it to him.

"(Thank you,)" Tropius said after devouring the rice ball.

"You know, if that Tropius was as good at battling as he is at eating rice balls we may have defeated the twerps that last time," Jessie complained. Upon hearing her criticism of his Pokémon James quickly came to the Fruit Pokémon's defense.

"Don't you dare try to pin this all on Tropius! Your Magcargo wasn't exactly a battling expert back there either!" he countered.

"My Magcargo carried us through that battle! It's not his fault that he was paired with such a worthless Pokémon!" Jessie roared. Tropius cowered in fear.

"(I-I'm not worthless,)" he whimpered. James immediately comforted his Pokémon, hugging him tightly around his neck.

"No you aren't," he soothed. "You're not worthless, and I'm furious with Jessie for even insinuating that you are! How dare you speak of my Tropius in such a manner!"

"You're right! Maybe it's the trainer that's worthless!" Jessie spat.

"Says you! I don't know what's worse, your battling skills or your coordinator skills!" James countered. The two of them stared at each other, their eyes filled with anger. They remained that way until Meowth returned.

"Jeez, do you think you could be any louder? I could hear you two from a mile away!" he complained.

"Oh, save it!" Jessie said. "And besides, where have you been?"

"Yeah! We turn our backs for one second and you split on us!" James added.

"Well, while you two have been moping around I've been busy formulating our next course of action," Meowth stated.

"And that would be?" Jessie inquired. Meowth smiled before giving his answer.

"Going after the twerps with an overwhelming strength advantage!" he declared. While he was proud of his idea Jessie and James didn't share his optimism.

"I hate to break this to you, Meowth, but we've never had any sort of strength advantage over the twerps," Jessie stated.

"Jessie's right. No matter what we do the twerps always end up blasting us off," James agreed. Meowth simply smirked.

"Not this time," the Scratch Cat Pokémon declared. "This time the twerps have no chance of beating us."

"And what makes you so sure of that?' Jessie inquired. Rather than answer her Meowth motioned for her and James to follow him. After James returned Tropius to his Poké Ball he and Jessie got up to follow Meowth.

"Okay, where are you supposed to be leading us?" Jessie asked.

"You'll see." Truth be told both Jessie and James were skeptical about Meowth's idea to try and overwhelm the twerps with pure power. They had tried in the past and always failed, so they wondered what would make this time any different. They soon got their answer as Meowth lead them to a rather large clearing.

"Well, what do you think?" He stepped to the side and allowed Jessie and James to step into the clearing. At that moment they received the shock of their lives.

"Where in the world did you get these?" James gasped.

"I have my ways," Meowth replied. "So, what do you think of my plan now?" Almost immediately the two humans smirked evilly.

"I think the twerps had better prepare for trouble, because Team Rocket is back in business," Jessie boasted.

* * *

It was nearly an hour later before Ash and Nikki set off for their training session. All of the Pokémon were fully rested and eager to get back to work. They had decided to train in the woods on the outskirts of the town once again.

"So what's going to be the goal of this training session?" Nikki wondered.

"Well, we still need to come up with some moves that'll be effective against Clayton's Ground types," Ash explained. "Not only that but we need to work on perfecting the moves we know will come in handy, like Torterra's Earthquake and Onix's Rock Throw."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Nikki commented.

"Thanks. Hopefully this will get me my first Gym badge," Ash said.

"The only thing you'll get is humiliated by us as we make off with your Pokémon!" Ash and Nikki froze in their tracks, startled by the unknown voice.

"Who's there?" Ash shouted. His question was answered when the ground began to shake. Moments later a massive tank in the shape of a Magcargo rolled into view.

"What is that thing?" Nikki shouted.

"I don't know, but I don't like it!" Ash answered. As they stared at the massive machine in front of them the ground began to shake again as a second tank appeared behind them, this one in the shape of a Meowth.

"Two of them?" Ash shouted.

"You'd better make that three!" Nikki corrected. Looking up they were surprised to see a third machine, this one in the shape of a Tropius, hovering overhead.

"Where did these things come from?" Ash shouted. As they stood there and waited to see what would happen the two tanks moved next to each other with the Tropius machine landing in to the right of the Meowth tank. Then, hatches opened on all three as familiar figures appeared, reciting an all-too familiar motto.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash and Nikki shouted as the trio rose up from the hatches of their machines.

"What are you three up to this time?" Nikki demanded.

"The same thing we always want: your Pokémon," Jessie declared.

"And this time you're in no position to stop us!" Meowth bragged. "Behold, our triple-threat machine attack: the Rock 'em Sock 'em Meowth, the Mag-tank and the Tropius Sky Fortress!"

"With these three machines we'll snatch up your Pokémon in no time!" James declared.

"That's what you think! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" With a loud cry Pikachu unleashed his trademark attack. Just when it looked like the attack would hit it was blocked by some kind of barrier.

"What the?" Ash shouted.

"Surprised? These machines utilize our Pokémon's attacks, including my Magcargo's Protect," Jessie boasted. Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon glared at them as they gloated.

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Jessie said. "You can either hand over your Pokémon willingly, or we can take them by force."

"How about neither and you three just go away," Ash suggested.

"Sounds like they want to do this the hard way to me," James stated.

"Well then, let's get to work!" With that all three members of Team Rocket were lowered back into their machines.

"Meowth, why don't you give them a 'hand'," Jessie suggested.

"Good idea," Meowth said. Taking the controls of his machine Meowth swung one of its massive fists at Ash and Nikki.

"Watch out!" Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon jumped out of the way just in time to keep from being smashed.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked Nikki as he helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine," she said. "What do we do? There's no way we can take them head-on."

"As much as I hate to do this our only option is to try and get away," Ash said. With no other option the two trainers and their Pokémon took a few steps away from the machines, but before they could get too far they were cut off by a ring of fire.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jessie taunted, the mouth of her Mag-tank smoking from the blast of fire it just spat out. Ash and Nikki glared at them once again.

"You're not going anywhere until we've stolen your Pokémon," James declared.

"Now what? They've got us cut off," Nikki asked.

"Follow my lead," Ash instructed. Nikki nodded and awaited for him to make his move.

"Now, let's try this again. Hand over your Pokémon or else," Jessie demanded.

"Not a chance! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. As soon as Pikachu launched his attack Ash turned to Nikki.

"Now, Nikki! Have Buneary use an attack!" he instructed.

"Right! Buneary, use Hidden Power!" Nikki shouted. Just as Pikachu had done Buneary launched her attack, multiple small orbs traveling alongside the bolt of electricity.

"Didn't you twerps learn anything from last time? That's not going to work!" Jessie gloated. Just like before the powerful barrier was put up, blocking the attacks. Both attacks caused an explosion, blanketing the area in a thick smoke cloud.

"James, blow all this smoke out of here!" Jessie demanded.

"Okay, okay," James said. "Would it kill you to politely ask once in a while?"

"Just hurry up and do it!" Jessie roared. James chose not to reply and just do as Jessie had wanted. He activated the jets on his Tropius Sky Fortress and blew the smoke away.

"Now, twerps. Let's get back to… what?" Instead of finding Ash and Nikki there wasn't anyone there.

"Those sneaky little… they used the smoke to cover their escape!" Jessie yelled.

"That's our move!" Meowth complained. "We should sue them for copyright infringement!"

"We can worry about that later! Right now we need to find them!" Jessie shouted. "James, see if you can pot them from the air!"

"I'm on it!" He activated the jets once again, this time lifting the massive machine into the air.

"Meowth, let's spread out and search. They couldn't have gotten far," Jessie said.

"With these babies we'll find them in no time. And then it'll be time to send a few gifts to the boss," Meowth declared. The three of them piloted their machines in three different directions as they searched for Ash and Nikki.

* * *

Just as Ash had hoped the smoke cloud gave them the perfect opportunity to get away undetected. Right now they were hiding amongst some thick bushes, trying to avoid detection.

"Do you see them anywhere?" Nikki asked. Ash stuck his head out of the bushes and looked around.

"No. We must have given them the slip," Ash said.

"(At least for now,)" Pikachu added. "(They're not going to stop until they find us, though.)"

"Pikachu's right. Unless we take them out we won't be able to get back to town," Nikki agreed.

"So then… we'll have to take them on anyway," Ash said. Though he knew this was the inevitable result he also knew that they didn't have the strength to take them head-on. If they wanted to defeat Team Rocket this time they'd need to come up with a plan.

"Okay, before we take them on we need to figure out how to approach them. Any ideas?" Ash inquired. After a few seconds of silence Nikki's eyes lit up.

"I think I may have an idea that's just crazy enough to work," she announced. Ash and the Pokémon all huddled around her as she explained her plan.

"So, do you think you can pull it off?" she asked once she was done.

"It'll be a stretch, but I'm sure we can get the job done," Ash said. "Right, buddy?"

"(You can count on me,)" Pikachu declared.

"Okay. Now all we have to do is lure them where we want them," Nikki said.

"That'll be easy," Ash announced. "All we need is the right bait…"

* * *

After searching for nearly an hour Team Rocket regrouped at their original location to see if any of them had any luck.

"Did you find them?" Jessie asked.

"Nope," Meowth reported.

"Not a twerpy sign anywhere," James added.

"Well they have to be around here somewhere! Keep looking!" Jessie ordered. Just when they were about to set off once again…

"(Hey bozos!)"

"(Over here!)"

"Who said that?" Jessie roared, outraged over the insult.

"Hey, over there!" Meowth shouted. Standing a few yards away from them were Pikachu and Buneary. The two of them had huge smiles on their faces as they taunted the trio.

"(Bet you can catch us!)" Pikachu taunted, sticking his tongue out at them. This only served to infuriate Team Rocket, especially Jessie.

"No one mocks us and gets away with it!" she screamed, her anger erupting like a volcano. "After them!" With Team Rocket enraged they began to chase Pikachu and Buneary as they ran through the forest, just as the two Pokémon had planned for them to.

"(That's right, dummies. Just keep coming,)" Pikachu said.

"(Do you really think they're dumb enough to fall for this?)" Buneary asked.

"(Trust me, they are. After being chased by them for as long as Ash and I have you tend to notice things like that,)" Pikachu explained. The two of them kept running, making sure to stay in sight of Team Rocket the entire time. Eventually they spotted their destination, a large clearing in the middle of the forest.

"(Okay, time to give them the slip,)" Pikachu announced. Right at the edge of the clearing both Pokémon split up, Pikachu going right and Buneary going left. Team Rocket, though, was slow to react as they charged right into the clearing, stopping in the center.

"Where did they go?" Jessie growled. "Did either of you see where they went?"

"I didn't see them," James said. "You don't think they're hiding, do you?"

"No way," Meowth interjected. "The only place they could be hiding is…"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Shinx, Charge Beam!" Before Meowth could finish a pair of Electric attacks were fired at them, one a beam of electricity and another a bolt.

"Trying a sneak attack, huh? Well it won't work!" Jessie declared. She put up her Mag-tank's shield to block the attack, but what she didn't realize was that she wasn't the target. That was made clear when the two attack struck James and his Tropius Sky Fortress.

"T-That b-barrier d-didn't d-do m-me a-any g-good!" he stuttered. The huge amount of electricity flooding the machine caused it to short out. Within seconds the massive machine came crashing down to earth, landing on top of Jessie and Meowth's machines.

"Alright, it worked!" Ash cheered as he, Nikki and their Pokémon appeared from their hiding spot.

"I had a hunch that would work," Nikki bragged. Team Rocket came crawling out of the wreckage moments later. After gathering their composure they glared at Ash and Nikki.

"Do you have any idea how much those things cost us?" Jessie shrieked. At that moment James brought a hand to his chin in thought.

"Just how much did they cost?" he wondered.

"You don't want to know," Meowth sighed, a dejected look on his face. Rather than dwell on the price subject Jessie was preparing to do battle.

"Seviper, Magcargo, front and center!" she yelled. She threw out two Poké Balls, calling on two of her Pokémon. She then turned to James.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me?" she yelled. Her outburst startled James, causing him to almost drop his Poké Balls. He managed to hold on to them and throw them out.

"Tropius, Carnivine, time for a fight!" he shouted. His Pokémon appeared from their Poké Balls, but the ensuing actions weren't what he expected. Carnivine clamped down on James's head, wrapping his vines around the trainers body. At the same time Tropius tackled James to the ground and began digging around in his jacket for a rice ball.

"Oh, come on! I said 'fight', not 'bite'!" James whined. Jessie and Meowth sighed.

"And we thought he had it rough with just that Carnivine," Meowth said.

"Now his troubles are doubled," Jessie added. After a few seconds James was able to dislodge Carnivine from his head and give Tropius a rice ball, finally getting both Pokémon focused on the battle ahead. Across from them Ash and Nikki had Pikachu, Buneary and Shinx ready for battle. Ash also had a Poké Ball in his hand.

"Let's make the odds even!" he shouted. "I choose you, Gible!" Ash's Dragon type appeared from his Poké Ball, making the battle 4-on-4.

"Seviper, Poison Tail! Magcargo, Flamethrower!" Jessie ordered.

"Tropius, Magical Leaf! Carnivine, Bullet Seed!" James shouted. The four Pokémon launched their attacks.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail! Gible, Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary, Hidden Power! Shinx, Charge Beam!" Nikki added. Ash and Nikki's Pokémon launched their own attacks to counter the ones from Team Rocket's Pokémon. Pikachu's Iron Tail easily overpowered Seviper's Poison Tail while Dragon Pulse, Hidden Power and Charge Beam canceled out Flamethrower, Magical Leaf and Bullet Seed.

"Alright, try this on for size! Seviper, use Haze!" Before anyone could react Seviper spewed a thick Haze cloud over the field.

"Hey! I can't see!" Ash shouted.

"Neither can the Pokémon!" Nikki panicked.

"Which means they won't see this coming! Magcargo, Flamethrower!" Jessie ordered.

"Carnivine, Bullet Seed and Tropius, use Magical Leaf!" James shouted. The three Pokémon launched their attacks into the Haze cloud. Seconds later three explosions were heard, followed by three painful grunts. When the Haze cloud finally dispersed Pikachu, Buneary and Shinx were all see laid out.

"No, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary! Shinx!" Nikki cried.

"Aha! Looks like we've got you down for the count this time!" Jessie boasted. While she was feeling confident James noticed something was amiss.

"I may be no math expert, but by my count we seem to be one twerp Pokémon short," he stated.

"Jimmy's right! The twerp's Gible pulled a vanishing act on us!" Meowth yelled. As they looked around for the small Dragon type no one noticed the ground right beneath Seviper beginning to bulge. Seconds later Gible erupted from the ground, delivering a harsh uppercut to Seviper and knocking out the Fang Snake Pokémon.

"Ah, Seviper!" Jessie shrieked.

"Alright, Gible!" Ash cheered.

"He must have used Dig right when Seviper used Haze. That's why they didn't see him go underground," Nikki assumed. They were fortunate to have Gible still battle ready, but now the odds were 3-to-1 against them.

"Do you really think you stand a chance against us with just one Pokémon?" Jessie taunted.

"We won't know until we try," Ash replied. "Gible, Rock Smash!" The small Dragon type charged forward, his fist pulled back and glowing white.

"Stop him with Vine Whip, Carnivine!" James shouted. Carnivine whipped his vines at Gible's feet, tripping the Dragon type and making him fall right in front of Team Rocket's Pokémon.

"Now we've got him right where we want him!" Meowth declared.

"Quick, get out of there!" Ash shouted. Gible tried to get up, but before he could Tropius stomped down on him, pinning Gible under his foot.

"No, Gible!" Ash shouted.

"Now, let's make an example out of him! Bullet Seed!" James ordered. Carnivine glared down at the Land Shark Pokémon and prayed him with a barrage of exploding seeds.

"No, stop!" Ash demanded, though his words fell on deaf ears.

"We have to do something!" Nikki shouted. By then Pikachu and the other Pokémon were beginning to stir.

"Quick, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Shinx, Charge Beam! Buneary, use Hidden Power!" Nikki instructed. Seeing one of their fellow Pokémon in danger the three of them quickly fired their attacks.

"I don't think so. Use Protect," Jessie calmly requested.

"(Coming up,)" Magcargo replied. He moved in the way of the attacks and put up his Protect barrier, effectively blocking them.

"Now keep them at bay with a Flamethrower," Jessie said. Magcargo dropped the Protect and spewed a Flamethrower, forcing Pikachu and the other Pokémon to jump back to avoid being roasted. Meanwhile Tropius and Carnivine were continuing their assault on Gible with repeated Vine Whip and Stomp attacks.

"That's it! Keep it up!" James urged. With each attack Gible let out a painful grunt.

"There's got to be something we can do! Gible can't take much more of this!" Nikki said. Ash wanted nothing more than to get in there and save Gible, but every time they tried to get through Magcargo would cut them off with either Protect or Flamethrower. After what seemed like forever Gible was thrown across the battlefield, landing right in front of Ash and Nikki.

"Oh, Gible," Nikki gasped. His body was covered in numerous scrapes and bruises and he was breathing rather heavily.

"Well, do you have any other Pokémon we can defeat? We're just getting warmed up over here," Jessie taunted. At the moment it really appeared as though Team Rocket had them at a disadvantage. With a defeated sigh Ash grabbed Gible's Poké Ball.

"You did good, but they were just too strong for you," he said. "You go ahead and…" Before he could recall him Gible held a paw up, signaling for Ash to stop.

"(I… I'm not done yet,)" he panted.

"But Gible…" Before Ash could finish the Land Shark Pokémon glanced back at him, a look of determination in his eyes.

"(They… haven't beat me… not yet,)" Gible protested. From the look on Gible's face he was confident that he could mount a comeback. While Ash was considering leaving him in Nikki was against the idea.

"Come on, Gible. You did your best, but now it's time to let someone else pick up the slack," she said.

"No, Nikki. I think it's best if I let him finish this," Ash interrupted. Nikki looked at him, almost not believing what she just heard him say.

"You can't be serious! Gible won't stand a chance!" she argued.

"I think he will," Ash replied. "I… I've never seen him look that determined before. It's almost as if he knows he can't be defeated." Even though Nikki believed this was a bad idea she stood and watched as Gible walked out to battle against Team Rocket's Pokémon once again.

"Well now, a glutton for punishment, are you?" Jessie taunted. "James, oblige him."

"Gladly," James replied. "Vine Whip, Carnivine!" Carnivine obeyed and brought his vines down on Gible's head, driving the Dragon type face-first into the ground.

"Well, that was easy enough," Jessie commented. "Now, let's… huh?" To everyone's surprise Gible began to get back up, his eyes burning with determination.

"It'll take… more than that… to stop me,)" he panted. At that point Team Rocket was starting to get a bit rattled. Noticing this Pikachu rallied Buneary and Shinx.

"(Come on! Let's give Gible some back-up!)" Just as they were about to join Gible the Land Shark Pokémon stopped them.

"If it's alright with you guys… I'd like to do this alone,)" he said.

"(Are you nuts? You can't beat them by yourself!)" Shinx argued.

"(Shinx's right. We need to face them as a team,)" Pikachu agreed.

"(Please, everyone… let me do this,)" Gible urged, a bit more force in his voice. They would have argued further, but the look in Gible's eyes told them he had already made up his mind. Instead they just watched as he turned to face Team Rocket again.

"Persistent, aren't you," Meowth commented. "Well persistence will only get you so far in life, bub."

"Magcargo, roast that little pest," Jessie requested. The Lava Pokémon spewed another Flamethrower, this one aimed for Gible.

"(Not this time!)" Gible declared. He struck the Flamethrower with a Rock Smash, sending it hurtling towards Carnivine and Tropius.

"Get out of there!" James shrieked. Tropius took to the sky and dodged, but Carnivine wasn't as lucky. The Flamethrower hit him dead-on, knocking him out instantly.

"My Carnivine!" James cried. With a menacing glare Gible continued to advance on them.

"(You… won't… beat… me!)" At that moment the unexpected happened…

Gible began to glow.

"Oh no! Don't tell me!" Jessie begged.

"Gible's evolving!" Nikki gasped. His body grew taller, his arms became longer and now sported blades on each forearm. His tail also grew longer and had a fin on the end. He also had one on his back that had a small notch in it. His head now had two orb-like protrusions on each side. When the light faded Gible had completed his evolution.

"Alright! Gible's a Gabite now!" Ash cheered. While Ash was overjoyed Team Rocket had a different reaction to Gible's evolution.

"T-This doesn't l-look good," Jessie stuttered.

"I don't think I like where this is heading!" James panicked.

"Okay, Gabite! Let them have it with Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted. As the newly-evolved Pokémon fired the Dragon Pulse everyone could see that it was a bit larger than usual. As the orb hit its target it drove the Pokémon back into Team Rocket, who themselves were sent crashing into their damaged machines. The Pokémon were knocked out, but Jessie, James and Meowth were still conscious, allowing them to see the next series of attacks.

"Okay, all together now! Gabite, Dragon Pulse! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary, Hidden Power! Shinx, Charge Beam!" Nikki instructed. The four attacks flew towards their intended target. The Team Rocket trio panicked as the attacks hit home, causing the three machines to explode.

"Got any more brilliant plans, Meowth?" Jessie screamed.

"Next time I start thinking of a plan stop me!" Meowth yelled.

"If they're anything like this one just keep them to yourself!" James shouted.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried, disappearing over the horizon.

"Alright! Great work, guys!" Ash cheered. While the Pokémon praised each other for a job well done Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned Gabite.

**Gabite, the Cave Pokémon and the evolved form of Gible. As it digs to expand its nest, it habitually digs up gems that it then hoards in its nest.**

"That's one strong Pokémon you have there, Ash," Nikki commented.

"That he is, and I'm sure he'll win me some big battles in the future," Ash said.

"(You can count on me!)" Gabite bragged, flexing his arms a bit. The moment was interrupted when Pikachu and Buneary both tensed up and turned to the nearby bushes.

"What is it?" Nikki asked.

"(There's someone coming,)" Buneary replied. The trainers and Pokémon looked at the bushes, waiting for the mystery person to be revealed. Moments later a person came out of the bushes.

"Hey, it's Clayton!" Nikki said, instantly recognizing the Lunick Town Gym Leader.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"I was out training when I head an explosion," Clayton explained. "Do you know what it was?"

"We were just taking care of a few… 'problems' we were having," Ash said. "But everything's fine now."

"I see," Clayton commented. Pretty soon he spotted Ash's Gabite.

"Is that your Gabite, Ash?" he inquired.

"Yeah. He just evolved," Ash answered. Clayton walked over to Gabite to get a closer look at him.

"Hmm… I can tell he's been well trained," he commented. "Will you be using him in your rematch?"

"I'd like to, but in order to do that I'd have to take out one of the others who participated last time. Torterra, Donphan and Onix performed so well that I don't want to leave one of them out," Ash explained.

"That is quite the dilemma," Clayton commented. After thinking for a few seconds Clayton had a solution.

"How about I make our rematch a four-on-four. That way you can use your Gabite and won't have to replace anyone," he suggested.

"That'd be great!" Ash exclaimed.

"Okay, it's settled then. We'll have our four-on-four battle tomorrow," Clayton stated.

"I can't wait!" Ash shouted.

"That's great! Now you can see what Gabite can do in a Gym battle," Nikki commented.

Yeah," Ash agreed. "Until then, though, we've got some training to do!" With his Gym battle rematch looming on the horizon Ash got to work training his Pokémon so they could be as prepared as possible.

* * *

A tense encounter with Team Rocket results in the usual blast-off, but also gives Ash a new Pokémon in the form of Gabite. With this new Pokémon can Ash defeat Clayton, who has now made their Gym battle rematch a four-on-four affair? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	17. A Whole Lotta Quakin' Going On

**Chapter 17: A Whole Lotta Quakin' Going On**

"Well, here we are again." After a bit of training, strategizing and a good rest at the Pokémon Center Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon were once again standing outside of the Lunick City Gym.

"Time to see if all our hard work pays off," Ash stated.

"You sure you've gone through everything?" Nikki questioned.

"We've gone through our game plan as many times as necessary. Now it's all up to how well we can execute it," Ash replied.

"(We'll be cheering you on from the sidelines,)" Pikachu said.

"I know you will, buddy," Ash responded. After taking a deep breath to calm his nerves Ash looked at the Gym, his eyes filled with determination.

"Alright… let's do this!" he shouted. The doors opened and the group entered the Gym, becoming reacquainted with the building's interior.

"I was hoping you'd show up soon, Ash." Standing on the other side of the large battlefield was Clayton with his referee by his side.

"I hope you're ready, Ash. I plan to give you everything I've got," Clayton stated.

"That's fine with me. I planned on doing the same," Ash replied with a smirk. He and Clayton took their places in their respective trainers' boxes while Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary made their way to the stands. Moments later the referee went over the rules.

"This is a Gym battle rematch between the challenger, Ash of Pallet Town, and the Gym Leader Clayton! The battle will be four-on-four! As before only Ground types are permitted and only the challenger will be allowed to make substitutions!" he explained. "Are both sides ready?"

"I'm ready if you are!" Clayton announced.

"I've never been more ready!" Ash replied. With both sides ready to get underway the referee had only one more thing to say…

"Battle… BEGIN!" Clayton wasted no time making the first move, grabbing a Poké Ball and tossing it out.

"Gliscor, to the field!" Both Ash and Nikki were surprised to see Clayton leading off with is Gliscor as they assumed he would start with Quagsire. Still, this didn't change Ash's strategy any.

"Okay Onix, let's start off on the right foot!" Ash shouted as he called on his Rock Snake Pokémon. Onix let out a loud bellow as he stared at his opponent.

"Remember the strategy we went over, Onix!" Ash instructed. "Just follow that and we'll win for sure!"

"(Got it!)" Onix roared. On the sidelines Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary watched and hoped that all the planning Ash put in would be enough.

"Good luck out there," Nikki whispered.

"Okay, let's start off with Dragonbreath!" Ash shouted. Onix wasted no time spewing the white flame at Gliscor.

"Take to the air and dodge!" Clayton instructed. Gliscor sprang up on his tail and soared over the Dragonbreath.

"Now come at Onix with X-Scissor!" Clayton shouted. As soon as Onix's attack was through Gliscor dove down, his claws crossed.

"Stop him with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Onix swung his Steel-powered tail at the incoming Gliscor, but the Fang Scorp Pokémon was too nimble as he easily dodged the Iron Tail and landed a solid hit with X-Scissor.

"Now ascend!" Clayton instructed. Gliscor climbed back up high into the air just as Onix was recovering from the X-Scissor.

"Are you okay, Onix?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah! I can still battle!)" Onix replied. Ash was glad to hear this.

"Okay then. Use Dragonbreath again!" he shouted.

"Dodge and use Steel Wing!" Clayton countered. Onix once again spewed the white flame, but Gliscor nimbly dodged and struck the Rock Snake Pokémon with a Steel Wing as he flew by.

"Man, his Gliscor is just too fast for us to hit," Ash grumbled under his breath. "If only there was a way to slow him down… hold on… that just might work." He glanced up and saw that Gliscor was charging again with what looked like another Steel Wing.

"Use Screech!" Ash instructed. Right before the attack made contact Onix let out an ear-splitting Screech. Gliscor was stopped in his tracks as he clamped his claws around his ears.

"(Gah! Make it stop!)" he screamed.

"Now, knock him down with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Onix quickly charged up his tail and swung at Gliscor, making solid contact and slamming the Fang Scorp Pokémon to the ground.

"Finish up with Rock Throw!" Ash instructed. A large rock formed in the air next to the Rock Snake Pokémon. With a smirk he slapped the rock with his tail and sent it crashing down on Gliscor. The rock shattered on impact with the ground, revealing a defeated Gliscor.

"Gliscor is unable to battle! Onix wins!" the referee announced.

"Alright, we did it!" Ash cheered. Overjoyed Onix picked Ash up with his tail and hugged him, making sure not to squeeze too tightly.

"(I won! I really won!)" Onix roared.

"I knew you could do it, Onix!" Ash praised. On the sidelines Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary were just as excited.

"Alright! He's off to a great start!" Nikki cheered.

"(All their planning is paying off!)" Buneary shouted.

"(Keep it up, you guys!)" Pikachu cheered. Clayton was a bit shocked, but he quickly overcame that as he recalled his defeated Gliscor.

"You did well, my friend. Now rest," he said. "I must admit I had no idea you could have this big of a turnaround in such a short amount of time, Ash."

"Trust me, we're just getting started," Ash boasted.

"Is that so? Well let's see if you can keep this momentum up," Clayton challenged. "Quagsire, to the field!" His dual Water and Ground type appeared on the field. With Onix having taken out Gliscor Ash recalled him.

"I may need to use you later," he explained before grabbing a second Poké Ball. "Now, it's your turn, Torterra!" The Continent Pokémon appeared and roared a challenge to Clayton's Quagsire.

"Okay, time to get Quagsire out of the way," Nikki stated. Since Ash had scored the knockout Clayton made the first move this time.

"Use Ice Beam!" the Gym Leader shouted. Quagsire formed a concentrated ball of Ice energy in his mouth and prepared to fire.

"Throw him off balance with Rock Climb!" Ash instructed. Before Quagsire could fire Torterra slammed his forelegs onto the ground, creating a steep slope in front of him with Quagsire standing at the top. Then, his claws became elongated as he charged up the slope.

"Yeah, that's the way!" Nikki cheered.

"Nice try, but not good enough! Use Ice Beam on the slope!" Clayton instructed. Aiming down the slope Quagsire fired his Ice Beam. The attack froze the ground, and as soon as Torterra stepped on it he lost his footing and slid back down to the bottom.

"Aw man! I didn't see that coming!" Ash groaned.

"Now use Rock Slide!" Clayton shouted. Quagsire slammed his tail onto the top of the slope, sending an avalanche of rocks tumbling down towards Torterra.

"Quick, use Leaf Storm!" Ash ordered. As quickly as he could Torterra launched his Leaf Storm, blasting the incoming Rock Slide to pieces and threatening to do the same to Quagsire.

"Dodge using Dig!" Clayton shouted. At the last moment Quagsire dug underground and avoided the attack.

"_Now we've got him!"_ Ash said. "Earthquake!"

"What?" Clayton shouted. All too late he realized that he played right into Ash's hands. He could do nothing but watch as Torterra slammed his forelegs onto the ground once again, this time sending out massive shockwaves throughout the arena.

"M-Man! T-Torterra's E-Earthquake is s-stronger t-than b-before!" Nikki stuttered.

"(N-No k-kidding!)" Pikachu agreed.

"(I c-can b-barely k-keep s-standing!)" Buneary stuttered. Quagsire, however, got the worst of the attack. Within seconds he was shaken up to the surface, barely able to remain on his feet.

"Now, finish him with Energy Ball!" Ash shouted. While Quagsire was still struggling with remaining standing Torterra gathered energy for his next attack. By the time either Quagsire or Clayton realized this it was too late. The Continent Pokémon fired his attack, making solid contact which knocked out the Water Fish Pokémon.

"Quagsire is unable to battle! Torterra wins!" the referee announced.

"Alright! That's two in a row!" Ash shouted. Torterra roared in victory.

"Ash is up two-to-four now!" Nikki cheered.

"(He's on a roll now!)" Pikachu shouted as he and Buneary danced together happily. The three of them continued to celebrate Ash's early success when Nikki suddenly realized something.

"These next two Pokémon… Ash doesn't know what they are," she stated. Pikachu and Buneary stopped dancing and looked towards Ash with a bit of concern.

"(Do you think he'll be able to win?)" Buneary wondered.

"We'll have to wait and see," Nikki replied. Clayton recalled his defeated Quagsire and thanked him for his hard work while Ash elected to leave Torterra out.

"Well, it seems as though you've found out how to defeat those two," Clayton commented. "But let's see how you do against two Pokémon you haven't seen me use yet!" He threw out a third Poké Ball, this time calling out a four-armed rock shaped Pokémon.

"(That's a Graveler!)" Pikachu exclaimed. Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned Clayton's Pokémon.

**Graveler, the Rock Pokémon and the evolved form of Geodude. A slow walker, it rolls to move. It pays no attention to any object that happens to be in its path.**

"(Sounds tough,)" Buneary commented.

"(You have no idea,)" Pikachu stated. "(Graveler are known for having incredibly high defense. Ash in in for a real tough battle if he can't find a way around that.)"

"Let's take him out quick, Torterra! Leaf Storm!" Ash instructed. With a loud bellow Torterra launched his powerful attack, but something seemed off.

"Counter with Stone Edge!" Clayton shouted. Dozens of sharp rocks materialized around Graveler. Seconds later he sent them forward to counter the Leaf Storm. When the two attacks collided the Leaf Storm was slowly but surely overpowered by the Rock attack. As the Continent Pokémon was pelted by the rocks Ash was left wondering what happened.

"Leaf Storm should have blown Stone Edge away," he said.

"Ash! Leaf Storm loses power the more times it's used in battle!" Nikki shouted.

"Are you serious?" Ash gasped, clearly unaware of Leaf Storm's side effect.

"It seems that a lapse in judgment has given me an opening!" Clayton commented. "Use Rock Tomb!" Before Ash could call out his next command Graveler stomped his foot on the ground, causing large stones to shoot out of the ground around Torterra. Within seconds the Continent Pokémon was encased in a stone prison, unable to move.

"Quick! Use Leaf Storm to break free!" Ash shouted. Mustering up all he could Torterra unleashed his powerful Grass type attack, summoning a cyclone of leaves to shatter the Rock Tomb. However, due to his own exhaustion and the fact that this was the third time he had used Leaf Storm this battle the attack was greatly weakened. Once the Rock Tomb was broken Torterra was able to move, but he was clearly running out of strength. His breathing was very heavy.

"_Torterra won't be able to go much longer. I have to wrap this up now,"_ Ash mused. "Use Earthquake!" Torterra reared up and slammed his forelegs on the ground, once again sending out shockwaves through the ground.

"Show them what a real Earthquake is, Graveler!" Clayton instructed. Despite his short legs Graveler managed to jump relatively high, sending out his own Earthquake upon landing. The two tremors met in the middle, kicking up large chunks of earth as they collided.

"W-Whoa! W-What p-power!" Nikki stuttered. She and the Pokémon were stumbling all over the place. At one point Buneary came close to falling off the railing and onto the battlefield, but at the last moment Pikachu grabbed her paw and pulled her to safety.

"(T-Thanks, Pikachu,)" she said once the tremors subsided.

"(Anytime,)" Pikachu replied. Back on the field Ash was ready to deliver what he hoped would be the finishing blow.

"Rock Climb!" he shouted. Once again Torterra caused the ground to shift upwards in a slope with Graveler standing at the top, and once again he charged headlong for his opponent.

"Now I've got you!" Clayton declared. Before Ash could figure out what he meant Clayton called for his next attack.

"Rollout!" With a smirk Graveler rolled into a ball and let gravity do the rest.

"Oh no! Torterra, stop your attack!" Ash panicked. By then, though, it was too late. As Torterra continued his charge Graveler was barreling down the slope. The two Pokémon hit head-on, each one vying for superiority.

"Come on, Torterra! Stay strong!" Nikki cheered. But her cheers could only do so much. Due to his weakened state Torterra couldn't hold his ground for long and was eventually overpowered. He was thrown from the slope, landing on his back at the bottom. One look was all anyone needed to see that he was out of the battle.

"Torterra is unable to battle! Graveler wins!" the referee announced.

"(Oh man… Torterra lost,)" Buneary groaned.

"But remember, Ash still has three Pokémon while Clayton is down to two. Ash still has the advantage," Nikki reminded Buneary. Ash recalled his defeated Torterra.

"Thank you. Now you take a rest," he said. He grabbed another Poké Ball and threw it out.

"Okay, Donphan! You're up!" he shouted. The Armor Pokémon appeared and stared down his opponent.

"Use Rollout!" Ash shouted.

"Counter with your Rollout, Graveler!" Clayton instructed. The two Pokémon curled up and rolled towards each other, meeting in a violent collision that resulted in a stalemate.

"Again!" the two trainers shouted. The Pokémon clashed a second time, getting the same results. The two trainers continued to call out repeated Rollout attacks with each collision resulting in a stalemate.

"I'm getting a headache just watching them," Nikki commented as she, Pikachu and Buneary witnessed another violent head-on collision.

"_This is getting us nowhere. I have to change tactics,"_ Ash thought. "Donphan, use Hyper Beam!" Donphan uncurled and began gathering energy for a Hyper Beam. Seconds later a sphere of orange energy began to form in his mouth.

"Get ready, Graveler!" Clayton called.

"Careful, Ash! He's up to something!" Nikki warned. She didn't know if Ash heard her or not, but in the end it didn't matter. Seconds after shouting her warning Donphan fired his attack.

"Now, into the air!" Clayton shouted. Still in Rollout Graveler managed to jump into the air. As the Hyper Beam hit the ground Graveler used the force from the explosion to launch himself higher.

"Now use Earthquake!" Clayton ordered. With gravity on his side Graveler plummeted towards the ground, slamming himself right on top of Donphan and putting the Armor Pokémon right at the epicenter of the Earthquake.

"No, Donphan!" Ash cried. When Graveler stepped back it was clear that Donphan was unable to continue.

"Donphan is unable to battle! Graveler wins!" the referee announced.

"Now they're tied at two each," Nikki said.

"(Ash can still win this,)" Pikachu stated.

"(You think so?)" Buneary questioned.

"(I have complete confidence in him. I know Ash can pull a win out of this,)" Pikachu declared.

"I hope you're right," Nikki said. The three of them waited as Ash recalled Donphan and deliberated his next move.

"_I could send in Gabite to finish him off, but seeing as how he's already battled against Torterra and Donphan he has to be running out of strength,"_ Ash thought. With that in mind Ash made his next selection.

"Onix, I need you again!" he shouted, tossing Onix's Poké Ball out. The Rock Snake Pokémon appeared with a loud roar.

"Graveler has to be feeling weak after battling Torterra and Donphan, so let's take him out fast!" Ash said. "Use Dragonbreath!" Onix spewed the familiar white flames at Graveler.

"Defend yourself with Rollout!" Clayton instructed. Graveler rolled into a ball and started spinning, dispersing the Dragonbreath as soon as it made contact.

"Now charge him!" Clayton shouted. Still in Rollout Graveler charged for Onix.

"Stop him with Iron Tail!" Ash yelled. Before Graveler could strike Onix used Iron Tail and swung with all his might, striking the incoming Graveler. Even though he stopped the attack Graveler continued to push forward in an attempt to break through Onix's defense.

"Onix can't keep this up for much longer," Ash said. Right then he got an idea he thought just might work.

"Angle your tail so that Graveler flies into the air!" Ash shouted. Onix did as he was instructed, angling his tail and body at a 45 degree angle. Just as Ash had planned Graveler rolled right up and was launched into the air.

"Alright, it worked!" he cheered.

"It'll take more than that to get the better of us!" Clayton declared. "Now, dive down and use Earthquake! Head straight for Onix!" From his position in the air Graveler uncurled and plummeted right towards Onix, preparing to deliver a bone-jarring Earthquake.

"Quick, hit him with your Dragonbreath!" Ash shouted. Sensing his trainer's urgency Onix fired a desperation Dragonbreath.

"Don't stop! Push through!" Clayton shouted. Graveler crossed his four arms in front of him to shield himself from the Dragonbreath as he continued to push forward.

"Pour it on, Onix! Don't let him land that attack!" Ash urged. Onix put more power into his attack, but Graveler continued to descend. After a brief power struggle Graveler slammed into Onix, driving the Rock Snake Pokémon to the ground with a furious Earthquake that shook the entire Gym.

"M-Man! T-That's s-some p-power!" Nikki exclaimed. Pikachu and Buneary were too busy trying to keep their balance to reply. The quake was brief, and when it was over with everyone could see that Onix was down and out, but what really surprised them was that Graveler was as well.

"Both Onix and Graveler are unable to battle!" the referee announced. As both trainers recalled their Pokémon Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary took in the current situation.

"This is it… this will decide the battle," Nikki said.

"(Do you think Gabite can win?)" Buneary asked.

"(We won't know what shot he has until we see what Clayton's last Pokémon is,)" Pikachu answered. "(All we know is that it's a Ground type.)"

"Not a lot to go on, but it's better than nothing," Nikki commented. Down to their last Pokémon Ash and Clayton simultaneously threw out their Poké Balls.

"Gabite, I choose you!"

"Dugtrio, to the field!" Ash's Cave Pokémon was expected, but Clayton's Pokémon wasn't.

"Dugtrio, huh. Let's see what the Pokédex has to say." Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned the Dugtrio.

**Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon and the evolved form of Diglett. Extremely powerful, they can dig through even the hardest ground to a depth of over 60 miles.**

"(I wonder how Ash and Gabite are going to combat that?)" Buneary wondered.

"We'll have to wait and see," Nikki responded.

"Gabite, Dig!" Ash instructed. Gabite quickly dug underground, vanishing from sight.

"Force him to the surface with Earthquake!" Clayton ordered. Dugtrio flexed his muscles and sent out a shockwave through the ground. The force of the quake was strong enough to shake Gabite back to the surface.

"(W-What t-the?)" Gabite gasped.

"Now use Tri Attack!" Clayton instructed. Gabite was shot with three triangles of Fire, Ice and Electric type attributes. Though the attack hurt there were not after effects.

"Whew… that could have been bad," Nikki said with a sigh of relief. "Tri Attack can leave the target either burned, frozen or paralyzed. Ash and Gabite just got lucky."

"(You can say that again,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Okay, Gabite! Use Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted. Gabite formed a light blue sphere in his mouth and fired.

"Use Dig to dodge!" Clayton instructed.

"Not this again!" Ash groaned as he watched Dugtrio go underground to avoid the Dragon Pulse.

"Great! Just where is he going to pop up next?" Ash shouted as he and Gabite looked for the spot where Dugtrio would surface.

"Mud Bomb!" To their surprise Dugtrio reappeared right in front of them and sent a large ball of mud right at Gabite. The mud ball hit and exploded, covering Gabite in mud and dirt.

"Now back underground!" Clayton ordered. Dugtrio retreated back underground while Gabite was getting his bearings.

"Now where's he going to show up at?" Ash shouted.

"Tri Attack!" Dugtrio surfaced right behind Gabite, preparing to fire the three triangles.

"Turn around and use Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted. Before the Tri Attack was fired Gabite spun around and fired Dragon Pulse.

"Quick, underground!" Clayton shouted. Dugtrio quickly canceled his Tri Attack and went back underground, narrowly dodging the Dragon Pulse.

"Go after him, Gabite!" Ash instructed.

"Stop him!" Clayton countered. Just as Gabite was preparing to dive into the hole Dugtrio went down in the Mole Pokémon popped out and delivered a head butt to the Cave Pokémon, stopping him in his tracks. With Gabite stopped Dugtrio went back underground.

"_Man! There's just no way to get a clean shot off on him! If Gabite knew Earthquake he could use it to hit Dugtrio while he's still underground and force him up, but there's no way I can do that now… or is there?" _The gears in his head immediately started spinning.

"Looks like Ash is thinking," Nikki observed. Pikachu smirked.

"(That usually means his opponents are about to go down,)" he commented.

"Gabite, use Draco Meteor!" Ash shouted. Gabite gathered the energy in his mouth and fired the orb into the air. Once it got high enough it exploded into dozens of smaller orbs and rained down on the battlefield.

"What is he planning?" Clayton wondered.

"_With all the Ground type moves that have been used already the ground should be weak enough for Dugtrio to feel the impact,"_ Ash figured. He and everyone else watched as the Draco Meteor impacted on the ground. Wherever the attack hit a small crater was left.

"_Alright… where are you?"_ Ash wondered. As more orbs made impact Ash's plan started to be come clear.

"He's using the Draco Meteor to force Dugtrio above ground!" Clayton gasped. As soon as the words left his mouth the last Draco Meteor orb hit the ground, creating a rather large crater in the middle of the field, and right in the middle of the crater was a very confused and startled Dugtrio.

"There he is, Gabite!" Ash shouted while pointing down into the crater. "Now get in there and use Rock Smash!"

"(Time to bring the pain!)" Gabite roared. He charged towards Dugtrio, his claws drawn back.

"Use Mud Bomb, quick!" Clayton ordered. As fast as he could Dugtrio launched one of his Mud Bomb attacks at Gabite, but the Cave Pokémon simply tore through it. However, there was something different about the method he used. Rather than use Rock Smash he used a different attack. Both of his claws were giving off a faint blue glow as he struck and continued to do so as he charged towards Dugtrio.

"That doesn't look like Rock Smash," Ash commented. In the stands Nikki noticed the same thing.

"That looks like Dragon Claw," she commented. "Ash! I think Gabite just learned Dragon Claw!"

"Really? That's awesome!" Ash cheered. "Okay, bring it home with Dragon Claw!"

"(This battle's over!)" Gabite roared. He closed the distance quickly and slashed with his claws, and even though Dugtrio had taken no damage thus far the amount of power Gabite unleashed in his attack was great enough to knock the Mole Pokémon out.

"Dugtrio is unable to battle! Gabite wins, and the victory goes to Ash of Pallet Town!" the referee announced.

"Alright! We won our first Legenda Gym battle!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist into the air. In the stands Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary were celebrating as well.

"He did it!" Nikki cheered.

"(What did I tell you? Ash wasn't going to lose twice!)" Pikachu exclaimed.

"(That battle was incredible! Gabite really pulled through in the end!)" Buneary said. Meanwhile Clayton was recalling his defeated Dugtrio. Though he lost he still had a smile on his face.

"An excellent job as always, Dugtrio," he praised. His smile grew even bigger when he looked up and saw Ash, surrounded by his friends, praising his Gabite.

"You were awesome out there, Gabite. I couldn't have asked for a better performance," Ash said.

"(I aim to please,)" the Cave Pokémon bragged.

"Well you certainly accomplished that," Clayton said as he walked over. "That was a truly inspired battled you put on. Almost makes me want to go out and find my own Gabite."

"Thank you, Clayton," Ash said. Shortly after that the referee walked over to them and presented Clayton with a small box. Clayton opened it and revealed what was inside.

"As proof of your victory here I proudly present you with the Shifting Earth Badge, the official Lunick Town Gym Badge," he announced. The badge was a small circular one. The face of the badge was tan in color and looked like it was made of sand.

"Thank you so much," Ash said as he accepted the badge.

"Alright! We won the Shifting Earth Badge!" he cheered.

"(Oh yeah!)" Pikachu added.

"That's your first Gym badge," Nikki stated. "All you need is one more to take on your first Area Boss."

"I know, and as soon as I figure out where the next Gym is I can start planning for it, and that second badge will be as good as ours!" Ash declared.

"(You got that right!)" Pikachu bragged.

"(No doubt!)" Gabite added. With their confidence on Cloud 9 Ash and his Pokémon eagerly looked forward to their next Gym battle, wherever it may be.

* * *

Ash's rematch ended with success as he claimed his first Legenda League Gym badge. As he looks forward to his second Gym battle one has to wonder what challenges are ahead for him, Nikki and their Pokémon. Find out what they are in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	18. True Loyalty

**Chapter 18: True Loyalty**

After a hard fought victory at the Lunick Town Gym Ash decided that his Pokémon more than deserved a long break, so while he waited for Nurse Joy to finish examining them he was telling Professor Oak what happened during the battle.

"Oh, that was fortunate," the professor commented upon hearing of Gible's evolution.

"It was. He really performed great in the battle. In fact, everyone did," Ash said. "When it was all said and done we earned our first badge." He took out his badge case and opened it, showing Professor Oak his newly won badge.

"Well, congratulations," Professor Oak praised. "All you need are seven more to qualify."

"Seven more badges and four Area Crests to be exact," Ash corrected.

"Ah yes, the crests slipped my mind for a moment," Professor Oak said. Right then a chime went off inside the Pokémon Center, letting Ash know his Pokémon were finished with their check-ups.

"My Pokémon are ready," Ash said. "I'll be sending them over in a little bit."

"I'll be waiting for them," Professor Oak replied. Ash then got up from the videophone and walked over to the front desk where Nikki, Buneary and Nurse Joy were waiting for him.

"All your Pokémon are in perfect health," Nurse Joy reported.

"Thank you," Ash replied as he accepted his Poké Balls. "Now to send Torterra, Onix, Donphan and Gabite to Professor Oak's ranch." He walked over to the Poké Ball transporter and called Professor Oak using the nearby videophone.

"Okay, we're ready on our end," Ash said.

"As am I. You can send them whenever you're ready," Professor Oak informed him. Ash then began sending his Pokémon over. He had just finished sending them over and was about to request four others when a rather loud bark caught his attention.

"What was that?" Nikki wondered.

"I don't know," Ash told her. "Would you mind holding on for a bit, Professor? There's something we want to check."

"Not at all. I'll be waiting for you to get back." The two trainers and their Pokémon got up to investigate the bark they heard. The first thing they thought of doing was asking Nurse Joy about it.

"Nurse Joy, did you hear…" When they got back to the front desk they found the pink haired Nurse was nowhere to be found.

"Where do you suppose she went?" Ash wondered. Before they could come up with an answer they heard another bark, only this time it was followed by a voice.

"Is it your feeding time already?" The group immediately recognized the voice.

"That's Nurse Joy," Nikki said.

"Sounds like she's in the recovery room. Let's go see what she's doing," Ash suggested. The others agreed and followed him back to where the recovery room was. When they arrived they found Nurse Joy setting a bowl of Pokémon food down in front of a orange canine-like Pokémon.

"That's a Growlithe," Nikki stated. Ash instantly whipped out his Pokédex and scanned the Growlithe.

**Growlithe, the Puppy Pokémon. Growlithe have a brave and trustworthy nature. They fearlessly stand up to bigger and stronger foes.**

"Okay, eat up," Nurse Joy said, stepping away from the bowl of food. The Growlithe barked happily and began devouring the food. To Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon something didn't look right.

"It may just be me, but that Growlithe doesn't appear to be injured," Nikki commented.

"I don't think he is," Ash replied.

"I wonder what he's doing here then," Nikki said.

"He was abandoned." The two trainers were surprised when Nurse Joy walked over to them. They were so focused on the Growlithe they didn't notice when she walked out of the recovery room.

"Abandoned?" Nikki gasped.

"Yes," the nurse confirmed.

"But why? Why would anyone want to abandon one of their Pokémon?" Ash questioned.

"According to his trainer, or former trainer, he was too weak," Nurse Joy said.

"Too weak?" Nikki repeated, making sure she heard the nurse correctly.

"Yes, that's what he said," Nurse Joy answered. "It happened a few days ago, right after you two arrived actually…"

* * *

_Nurse Joy was standing at the front desk, waiting for any trainer who happened to need her assistance. Her Chansey was in the back going over their inventory to make sure they had everything they'd need in case of an emergency. It had been a quiet day so far, but the experienced nurse knew that could all change in an instant. She was about to head to the back to help Chansey when an angry looking trainer stormed into the lobby._

"_Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I…" Her greeting was interrupted when the trainer angrily threw a Poké Ball in her direction. She barely had enough time to react and catch the ball before it hit something._

"_If you want to help me you can start by taking this worthless thing off my hands!" the trainer spat. Nurse Joy had half a mind to give him a piece of her mind for what he did, but she was curious to see what was inside the Poké Ball. When she opened it she gasped, for what came out was a Growlithe that appeared to have been in a war. Scrapes and bruises dotted his small body, and his breathing was labored._

"_Oh my goodness! This Growlithe needs immediate medical attention!" she gasped. "How could you let him get in this condition?"_

"_It's not my fault he got beat up like that," the trainer replied._

"_Yes it is! As his trainer it's your responsibility to care for your Pokémon!" Nurse Joy reprimanded._

"_Well if he wasn't so weak then maybe I'd care!" the trainer retorted. By now Nurse Joy was disgusted by him. She was about to call Officer Jenny and report him, but a pained whimper from the Growlithe changed her mind. She took the Growlithe in her arms and glared at the trainer._

"_I'll deal with you later," she said before rushing to the emergency room, calling for her Chansey to help her._

* * *

"Chansey and I managed to successfully treat the Growlithe's injuries, but when I got back to the lobby the trainer was already gone," Nurse Joy explained. "I called Officer Jenny and told her about him. She agreed to be on the lookout for him, but so far she hasn't seen him either." By now both Ash and Nikki were angry, but Ash's anger was so great his entire body was shaking.

"That… jerk!" he fumed. "How could he say that?"

"He's the absolute worst!" Nikki added.

"(I can't stand trainers like that!)" Pikachu growled, his cheeks slightly sparking in anger. They were angry about what the trainer did, but Buneary was more concerned with how the Growlithe felt.

"(Poor guy… being abandoned because your trainer thinks you're weak,)" she said. The others heard her and felt the same way.

"I wish there was something we could do for him," Nikki said.

"But what?" Ash asked.

"I don't know, but there has to be something," Nikki answered. "Maybe we could ask a Pokémon expert about it." Seconds later Ash gasped.

"We left Professor Oak waiting on the videophone!" he shouted.

"Oh no! I completely forgot!" Nikki said.

"Come on! Let's hurry!" The two of them rushed back to the lobby.

* * *

"… and that's what took us so long," Ash said as he finished explaining the situation to Professor Oak.

"I see. This is a very delicate situation," the professor commented. "People like him don't deserve to be trainers."

"We totally agree with you," Nikki stated.

"Still, what can we do for him?" Ash wondered.

"If you feel you should do something for the Growlithe, try befriending him," Professor Oak suggested. "Pokémon can sense the kindness in trainers, and that Growlithe should be able to sense your kind hearts rather easily."

"Befriend him, huh? That sounds like a good idea," Nikki said.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Thanks, Professor." After hanging up with him they returned to Nurse Joy and told her what Professor Oak told them.

"Well, what do you think?" Nikki asked.

"We could try," Nurse Joy replied. "It may not look like it, but right now that little Growlithe needs the kind of love and care that only a trainer can provide."

We'll do what we can," Nikki stated. Nurse Joy nodded and lead them into the room. Upon entering the Growlithe looked up and saw the nurse approaching, along with two people he didn't recognize.

"Growlithe, there are some trainers here who'd like to meet you," Nurse Joy said. She stepped to the side and let Ash and Nikki approach. Pikachu and Buneary stood in front of him while Ash and Nikki knelt down.

"Hi there. I'm Ash," Ash said.

"My name's Nikki," Nikki added.

"(I'm Pikachu,)" Pikachu greeted.

"(And I'm Buneary,)" Buneary said, finishing the greetings.

"Nurse Joy told us what your former trainer did, and in our opinion he was wrong," Ash said.

"That's right. You don't look weak to us," Nikki continued.

"(But how do you know that? You haven't seen me battle yet,)" Growlithe replied.

"I can tell just by looking at you," Ash admitted. "I've seen plenty of Growlithe over the years, and you look as strong as any of them did." Growlithe wasn't sure if Ash knew what he was talking about, but before he could reply Ash reached out and gently began scratching Growlithe on top of his head. Growlithe couldn't remember when the last time he felt anything so wonderful was as his wagging tail let Ash know he was thoroughly enjoying it.

"There, now doesn't that feel good?" Ash asked.

"(Oh, yes… it feels very good,)" the Puppy Pokémon sighed. As Ash watched Growlithe continue to enjoy the head scratching an idea came to him.

"Hey, Nikki. What do you think about staying here for a while?" he suggested.

"Huh?" Nikki asked.

"You see, I want to spend more time with Growlithe, and I figured you did as well," he explained. "So, what do you think?" Nikki had to think about that for a bit. She wanted to get going so they could find out where the next Pokémon Contest and Gym were, but like Ash said she also wanted to spend some more time with Growlithe. After thinking for a few seconds Nikki gave her answer.

"Sure. I don't see why we couldn't," she said. "That wouldn't be a problem, would it Nurse Joy?"

"Of course not. I think it would do Growlithe some good to have someone here to spend time with him," Nurse Joy said.

"Well then, that settles it. Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other, Growlithe," Ash declared. Growlithe's tail continued to wag as he looked up at Ash with a smile on his face.

* * *

The next few days saw Ash and Nikki spending plenty of time with Growlithe. The Puppy Pokémon was often seen with them while they trained their other Pokémon, often times participating in the training himself.

"It's good to see Growlithe opening up to them like that," Nurse Joy commented as she watched Growlithe train with Ash and his Pokémon. Ash had been rotating his Pokémon team regularly and was now training with Pikachu, Torkoal, Swellow, Buizel and Glalie.

"Looking good, guys!" Ash cheered. The Pokémon were paired off in groups of two. Pikachu sparred with Swellow, Buizel with Glalie and Torkoal with Growlithe. As usual Ash was impressed with the progress his Pokémon were making, but what really surprised him was Growlithe. The Puppy Pokémon had shown a great amount of strength while sparring with Ash's Pokémon, as well as an impressive array of moves.

Growlithe's really putting forth a lot of effort," Ash commented.

"(He's probably trying to prove to himself that he's not as worthless as his former trainer said,)" Pikachu assumed.

"I don't think he has anything to prove. He's not worthless," Ash said. Their conversation and training session were both brought to an abrupt end when Nikki and Buneary came rushing out of the Pokémon Center, map in hand.

"Guys, they just announced the location of the next Pokémon Contest!" she shouted.

"That's great. Where is it?" Ash asked. Nikki unfolded the map and pointed to a small town north of their location.

"Right there, in Carnation Town," she said.

"Carnation Town?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. The town's named that because they have some of the most beautiful flower field in all Legenda," Nikki explained.

"Sounds like the perfect place to hold a Pokémon Contest," Ash commented.

"And the perfect place for us to our my first ribbon!" Nikki declared. "Right, Buneary?"

"(Right!)" the Rabbit Pokémon agreed.

"Come on! We've got to plan out some combinations with Shinx and Swablu!" She and Buneary bolted back inside the Pokémon Center, their excitement at a fever pitch.

"(She sure is psyched about this,)" Pikachu commented.

"No more than we are right before a Gym battle," Ash stated. Looking up Ash noticed it was getting quite late.

"I think we've done enough training for one day. Time to call it a day." He recalled all his Pokémon with the exception of Pikachu, who took his normal spot on Ash's shoulder. Along with Growlithe they entered the Pokémon Center.

* * *

That night everything seemed peaceful. The Pokémon Center was closed for the night, and everyone inside had settled down for a good nights sleep. Everyone, that is, except for Growlithe. Sleep didn't come him for his mind was filled with various thoughts.

"(Wow… I didn't think I would have so much fun being with Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon,)" the Puppy Pokémon commented as he stood on the balcony on the upper floor of the Pokémon Center looking at the moon. After his trainer abandoned him he doubted if he would every find anything enjoyable about life, but since meeting up with Ash and Nikki he looked forward to every day they spent together. This, though, brought up its own concern.

"(I wonder… would they be willing to take me along when they leave?)" he wondered.

"(I don't think there's any doubt of that.)" Startled by the voice Growlithe spun around and saw Pikachu and Buneary standing behind him.

"(I hope we didn't startle you,)" Buneary said.

"(No, it wasn't that. It's just… I wasn't expecting anyone else to be up right now,)" Growlithe explained.

"(We saw you walking around and wanted to se if you were okay,)" Buneary said. Growlithe said nothing, opting to continue to look at the moon as Pikachu and Buneary walked up and stood next to him. The three of them looked up at the moon for a while before Pikachu spoke up.

"(So you really want to come along with us?)" he asked. The Puppy Pokémon nodded.

"(I can't remember the last I had that much fun. Training with Ash and Nikki is everything I imagined having a trainer would be like,)" he explained. "(I know this may sound silly to you but…)"

"(Not at all,)" Pikachu interrupted. "(In fact I'm sure Ash and Nikki would love to bring you along.)" Growlithe's eyes lit up when he heard this.

"(R-Really? You think they'd let me come along?)" he inquired.

"(Absolutely,)" Buneary answered. "(In fact we'd all love it if you could come with us. We have fun hanging with you too.)" This filled Growlithe with a sense of hope. Even though his former trainer deemed him useless there were still trainers who were willing to take him in, and two of them were right here.

"(Tell you what. Why don't you ask Ash and Nikki tomorrow if you can come with us,)" Pikachu suggested.

"(Do you think they'll say yes?)" Growlithe wondered.

"(I'm sure they will,)" Pikachu replied. This made Growlithe both excited and nervous. On one hand he could ask them and be rejected, but at the same time he knew that if they said yes he'd be taken on an adventure the likes he'll more than likely never forget.

"(Okay. I'll ask them tomorrow,)" he said. Pikachu and Buneary smiled as they pat him on his back.

"(They'll let you. Trust us,)" Pikachu encouraged.

"(Okay, but just to be on the safe side could you two be there to back me up? I fear that I may lose my nerve without some support,)" Growlithe requested. The two of them couldn't help but laugh as they both nodded.

"(I doubt if you'll need any support, but if you do we'll be there to back you up,)" Pikachu promised. This made Growlithe feel a bit more confident about what he was going to do tomorrow. All of a sudden Buneary let out a loud yawn and rubbed her eyes.

"(I don't know about you two, but I'm ready to get back to sleep,)" she said.

"(I think you're right,)" Pikachu agreed, letting out a yawn of his own. "(Care to join us, Growlithe?)"

"(Sure. I want to be well rested for tomorrow.)" The three Pokémon left the balcony and headed inside for a good night's rest.

* * *

The next day the group was gathered in the Pokémon Center lobby. Ash and Nikki were looking at their map, planning their next course while Pikachu, Buneary and Growlithe looked on.

"Let's see… Lunick Town is right here, and here's Carnation Town," Nikki stated, pointing out the two locations on the map. "That's quite a ways away."

"We're in for a long trip," Ash commented. "Good thing we thought about stocking up on supplies the other day."

"No kidding," Nikki agreed. While the trainers were plotting their course Pikachu discretely nudged Growlithe, getting the Puppy Pokémon's attention.

"(Now's your chance,)" he whispered. Realizing Pikachu was right Growlithe took a deep breath to prepare himself.

"_(Here's goes nothing.)"_ Before he could open his mouth and say anything the doors of the Pokémon Center slid open.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I…" She never finished her greeting, for when she saw who walked in she gasped.

"I-It's you!" The group looked up from the map and saw a rather disgruntled trainer walk in. As soon as Growlithe saw him the hair on his back stood up and he let out a menacing growl.

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"(It's him!)" Growlithe growled.

"Who? That guy?" Ash glanced at the trainer, still clueless about his identity and how Growlithe knew him.

"Who is he?" he asked. Growlithe's eyes narrowed in anger as he gave his reply.

"(Allistar… my old trainer…)"

"What?" Their eyes immediately went to the trainer that walked in. Though most of his body was covered by a black trench coat the scowl on his face let them know he was not a caring or compassionate trainer.

"Just as I figured… every Pokémon around here is useless," he spat. Once he reached the front desk he placed a single Poké Ball on the counter.

"Heal my Pokémon," he demanded. Rather than do as he asked Nurse Joy glared at him with a look of disgust.

"How dare you come here after what you did the last time!" she chastised.

"What are you talking about?" Allistar questioned.

"Your Growlithe! The last time you came here you abandoned him!" the nurse answered.

"Oh, that worthless thing. He was as weak as the rest of the Pokémon around here, not even worth my time," he spat. His attitude was beginning to rub everyone the wrong way, but before Nurse Joy could reprimand him further Ash spoke up.

"I don't think it's the Pokémon who's worthless," he stated. "I think it's the trainer who's worthless!" The trainer turned around and faced Ash, his face contorted in a snarl.

"You care to repeat that!" Allistar demanded.

"You heard me! I think you're a worthless trainer!" Ash repeated.

"That's right!" Nikki agreed. "People like you shouldn't be allowed to train Pokémon!" The trainer took a few steps towards them.

"I think you two need to mind your own business!" he shouted.

"If it involves Growlithe then it is our business!" Ash retorted.

"And what makes you think this is…" Before he finished he spotted the Pokémon standing near Ash and Nikki. Once his eyes landed on Growlithe he smirked.

"So the little weakling found someone to take him in," Allistar spat.

"Growlithe's not weak!" Ash countered.

"I beg to differ," he argued. By now it was clear only one thing would settle this argument.

"I'll prove to you that Growlithe isn't weak! I challenge you to a battle!" Ash declared. This seemed to pique the trainer's interest.

"You want to battle me… using that worthless Pokémon?" he questioned.

"We're going to do more than just battle you. We're going to BEAT you!" Ash declared. Once he knew Ash was serious he quickly agreed.

"I could always use another easy victory," he stated. He snatched the Poké Ball from Nurse Joy's desk and followed Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon outside. As soon as they were outside Nurse Joy grabbed the phone on the desk and dialed a number.

"He's come back! Get over here as soon as you can!"

* * *

At the battlefield behind the Pokémon Center Ash and Growlithe were preparing to face off against Growlithe's old trainer. Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary were sitting on a bench on the sidelines. Looking at the competitors it looked as though the only one more eager for this battle to start than Ash was Growlithe.

"(Growlithe really wants to get started,)" Buneary commented.

"Knowing him he sees this as an opportunity to prove himself in front of his old trainer," Nikki assumed. "I just hope he doesn't overdo it and hurt himself."

"(I wouldn't worry about that. Growlithe is in good hands,)" Pikachu stated.

"I hope you're right," Nikki said. By now Ash and his opponents were getting ready to start.

"So, what are the rules?" Allistar wondered.

"One-on-one with no substitutions," Ash said. "I'll be battling with Growlithe, of course." Upon hearing his name Growlithe took his place in front of Ash and let out a menacing growl.

"Just follow my instructions and everything will be fine," Ash told the Puppy Pokémon. Growlithe nodded, though his eyes never left his old trainer.

"That's fine with me. I'll just use the same Pokémon I did when I caught that worthless Pokémon!" He hurled his Poké Ball into the air, and when it opened a large steel bird appeared.

"A Skarmory!" Ash gasped.

"A Skarmory? Hold on a second." Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

**Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Its sturdy wings look heavy, but they are actually hollow and light, allowing it to fly freely in the sky.**

"That doesn't make any sense. Why use a Steel type against a Fire type? The match-up isn't In his favor," Nikki stated.

"(But he did just say he used that Skarmory when he first caught Growlithe, so maybe he knows something we don't,)" Pikachu pointed out. Realizing Pikachu may have been right Nikki thought to warn Ash.

"Be careful! He may know how to beat Growlithe even with a type disadvantage!" Nikki shouted. Ash gave her a thumbs up to let her know he heard her.

"Okay, Growlithe. If he tries anything you've seen before let me know," Ash instructed.

"(I will,)" the Puppy Pokémon confirmed.

"Well since you're not going to make the first move I will! Skarmory, Drill Peck!" The Armor Bird Pokémon let out a screech and dove down towards Growlithe, spinning rapidly.

"Dodge and use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. Growlithe jumped to the side and let Skarmory pass by harmlessly. He then set himself and spewed intense flames at the retreating Flying type.

"Protect!" Allistar ordered. Skarmory spun around and erected a greenish barrier around himself right before the Flamethrower made contact. The powerful Fire attack was effectively blocked.

"(Heads up, Ash! Last time he followed this with Aerial Ace!)" Growlithe warned. Ash was familiar with that attack and the fact that it never missed.

"In that case we need to get our next attack off fast!" he replied.

"Aerial Ace!" Just as Growlithe had predicted Skarmory went into a dive.

"Counter with Flame Wheel!" Ash shouted. As Skarmory drew closer Growlithe wrapped himself in spiraling flames and charged towards the Armor Bird Pokémon. The two Pokémon hit head-on and appeared to be evenly matched, but Growlithe's type advantage gave him the edge as he forced Skarmory back.

"Way to go, Ash and Growlithe!" Nikki cheered.

"(They just might win this!)" Buneary added. Allistar, on the other hand, was furious.

"You better not let that weakling beat you!" he seethed. "Now hit him with Steel Wing!" Filled with anger Skarmory slashed at Growlithe with his wings, sending the Puppy Pokémon rolling across the ground.

"No, Growlithe!" Ash cried.

"Now finish him off with Drill Peck!" Allistar ordered. While Growlithe was still a bit dazed and confused Skarmory gained some altitude. Then, he dove down and began spinning, intending to end this battle right here and now.

"Look out!" Nikki screamed.

"Growlithe, use Flamethrower towards the ground!" Ash shouted. Right at the last minute Growlithe got to his feet and fired a Flamethrower at the ground, propelling himself upwards. He passed Skarmory on his way up, just barely avoiding being clipped by the Armor Bird Pokémon.

"He's above you! Stop your attack!" Allistar shouted. By then, though it was too late. Unable to stop Skarmory plunged into the ground, stunning himself upon impact.

"Now dive down and use Flame Wheel!" Ash instructed. As Growlithe began his descent he once again wrapped himself in the spiraling flames of Flame Wheel.

"Do it!" Ash encouraged.

"Get out of there, Skarmory!" Allistar panicked. But it was too little, too late. By the time Skarmory knew what was happening the Flame Wheel hit home, engulfing the Armor Bird Pokémon in red-hot flames. Growlithe emerged from the attack and landed right in front of Ash. Skarmory, on the other hand, had been rendered unconscious.

"Yeah! We won!" Ash cheered. Nikki and the Pokémon leapt up from the bench and ran out to congratulate Ash and Growlithe.

"You two were amazing!" Nikki exclaimed. "There was no way Allistar stood a chance!"

"(Didn't I tell you they would be fine?)" Pikachu said.

"(You did, and you were right,)" Buneary said. "(Guess that really shows who the weak one is, huh.)"

"You got that right," Ash agreed. "Don't you think so, Growlithe?" The Puppy Pokémon nodded, his tail wagging excitedly as he basked in the glory of defeating his former trainer.

"I don't believe this! How could I have lost to that weakling?" Allistar roared. He glared at Ash and Growlithe.

"This isn't over! I'll get my revenge on you yet!" he warned.

"I doubt that!" The next thing they knew Allistar was in handcuffs with Officer Jenny standing right behind him.

"Hey! What's going on?" Allistar demanded.

"You're under arrest for Pokémon neglect!" Officer Jenny announced.

"Officer Jenny? What's she doing here?" Ash wondered.

"I called her." The group turned and saw Nurse Joy approaching them.

"You called her?" Nikki asked.

"I did. When all of you went outside for your battle I called Officer Jenny and told her he was here," Nurse Joy explained.

"I wanted to arrest him as soon as I arrived, but I saw that your battle had already started and I didn't want to interrupt it, so I decided to wait until you were done before I moved in and arrested him," Officer Jenny continued.

"So now that you've got him, what will happen next?" Nikki asked.

"He'll be taken down to the station where we'll have his trainer's license suspended. Of course I'm confident that in the end his license will be revoked and all his Pokémon confiscated," Officer Jenny explained.

"That's good to hear," Nikki said. "He doesn't deserve to be a Pokémon trainer with the way he just abandoned Growlithe."

"I agree," Officer Jenny said. "Well, I've got to take this guy back to the station." With a salute she lead Allistar back to her motorbike and placed him in the sidecar before climbing on the bike herself. As she drove away Allistar shot a hateful glare at Ash and Growlithe. Within seconds they were gone.

"Whew… glad that's over," Nikki sighed.

"No kidding," Ash agreed. "That was a bit too tense for me." Everyone else agreed with the two trainers.

"So, now that everything's calmed back down I guess we should think about heading out," Nikki suggested.

"Yeah. We have to get to Carnation Town for your Pokémon Contest," Ash said. During this Pikachu and Buneary glanced down at Growlithe. The Puppy Pokémon noticed this and looked up at them. Both Pokémon nodded at him, telling him that the time was right.

"_(Okay… here I go.)"_ Growlithe took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Okay, guys. Let's…"

"(Umm… Ash?)" The Pallet Town native looked down at Growlithe, wondering what he wanted.

"What is it, Growlithe?" he asked. Now that he had Ash's attention he knew what he had to do, but that didn't keep him from feeling a bit nervous.

"(Well… you see… I was wondering if… maybe… if I could… c-come along with you?)" he asked.

"You want to come with me?" Ash questioned.

"(Well… only if you want me to… I mean… I'd like to… but if you don't want me to then…)" By now Growlithe had begun rambling, not paying attention to what was coming out of his mouth. Ash knelt down in front of him and placed his hand on the Puppy Pokémon's head.

"If you wanted to come with me all you had to do was say so," he stated.

"(S-So… does that mean?)"

"Of course you can come with us," Ash told him. That was exactly the answer Growlithe wanted to hear. Overcome with happiness he leapt onto Ash and knocked him to the ground, happily licking his face.

"Haha… okay, Growlithe, okay! That tickles!" Ash laughed. After a few more seconds Growlithe got off of Ash and let him get up. Shortly after that Ash grabbed an empty Poké Ball.

"Okay, time to make this official. Go, Poké Ball!" He tossed the ball at Growlithe, watching as it bounced off his head and drew him inside. The ball never shook as the light flashed three time before a 'ping' echoed around them. Ash picked up the Poké Ball.

"Alright! I got a Growlithe!" he cheered.

"(We got a new friend!)" Pikachu added.

"I'm glad Growlithe will be in good hands," Nurse Joy said.

"He's in very good hands," Nikki stated. Now that Growlithe was on the team Ash and Nikki could look forward to their next destination, Carnation Town, where Nikki hoped to win her first Pokémon Contest.

* * *

Ash's kind-hearted nature not only helped an abandoned Growlithe prove himself to his old trainer, but also convinced the Growlithe to join his team. Now with a new member where will Ash and Nikki's journey take them? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	19. Time for a Reunion

With Pokémon Black and White on the horizon I have been asked if I will include any of the 5th generation Pokémon in this story. After some thought I have decided that I will not. Only Pokémon from Generations 1 - 4 will appear.

**Chapter 19: Time for a Reunion**

It had been just a few days since Ash and Nikki left Lunick Town, but already they had put quite a bit of distance between them and the small town that gave them so many memorable moments. Not only did Ash win his first Legenda League Gym badge, but he also gained a new Pokémon in the form of a Growlithe that had been abandoned by his previous trainer. Now they were on their way to Carnation Town so Nikki could compete in her second Pokémon Contest. However, that was for a later date. Now it was training time, so while Pikachu, Buneary and some of the other Pokémon looked on Ash and Nikki were preparing for a quick training session. Their Pokémon of choice were Shinx and Growlithe.

"(This should be good,)" Buneary commented.

"(You can say that again,)" Pikachu agreed. "(Ash has been wanting to really put Growlithe to the test, and I think Nikki and Shinx are just the pair to help him do that.)"

"You guys ready?" Nikki called.

"We're ready!" Ash answered. "You go ahead and make the first move!"

"That may be a big mistake, Ash!" Nikki warned. "Shinx, use Spark!"

"(Here I come!)" Shinx barked. She charged ahead, her body coated in blue electrical energy.

"Dodge using Double Team!" Ash instructed. Right before Shinx made contact Growlithe created multiple copies of himself. Shinx charged right through one of the copies and came to a stop. Shortly after Growlithe revealed himself by removing the copies.

"Not bad, huh," Ash boasted.

"That was pretty clever," Nikki admitted. "Now let's see how you deal with this! Charge Beam!" Shinx spun around and fired her Charge Beam, the concentrated beam of electricity streaking towards Growlithe.

"Counter with Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. The Puppy Pokémon quickly spat out a stream of fire that intercepted the Charge Beam, the two attacks showing to be even in strength.

"Good job on that reaction time, Growlithe!" Ash praised. Growlithe let out a bark of confidence.

"Okay, let's try Spark!" Nikki shouted. Once again a blue veil of electric energy engulfed Shinx as she charged forward.

"Flame Wheel!" Ash countered. Growlithe cloaked himself in flames as he curled into a ball and sped towards the charging Shinx. The two attacks collided, and just like with Charge Beam and Flamethrower before them they too were evenly matched. The two Pokémon got out of there attacks and jumped back in front of their respective trainers.

"Looks like these two are an even match," Ash commented.

"They may seem that way, but I'm about to change all that!" Nikki declared. "Get in a quick Charge and then go into Spark one more time!" Shinx began to growl as she boosted her electrical powers.

"Don't let her get that Charge in, Growlithe! Use Roar!" Ash instructed. Growlithe let out an intimidating bark. Shinx was startled by it so much she immediately materialized into energy and retreated back to her Poké Ball.

"Aw, come on! You've got to be kidding me!" Nikki groaned.

"Sorry about ending the battle like that, but those are some of the things you've got to be ready for," Ash said as he and Growlithe approached her.

"I suppose so," Nikki said, still a bit dejected that she lost. "Still, that was quite the clever tactic you used back there, waiting for me to call out Charge before making your next move."

"Well, to be perfectly honest I just called out that attack because it was the one move he knew I hadn't used yet," Ash admitted.

"So in other words you just used a move and hoped it would work, right?" Nikki assumed.

"That's… pretty much it," Ash admitted. Nikki shook her head while at the same time placing a hand on her forehead.

"You must have a four-leaf clover on you somewhere, because you have to have some of the greatest luck out of anyone I've met," Nikki stated. "Either that or I have some of the worst."

"How about we chalk this one up to a lucky shot," Ash suggested.

"I suppose that would work," Nikki said. "Makes me feel not as bad about losing." With the battle now concluded Pikachu, Buneary and the other Pokémon gathered around the trainers.

"(That was quite the showing,") Pikachu commented. "(Growlithe really impressed.)"

"(I'll say,)" Buneary agreed. "(It's too bad you and Shinx had to lose, though.)"

"Well, it was just a practice battle, so I think I'll let this one slide," Nikki said, acting completely different than she was a few minutes ago.

"She sure cheered up quick," Ash whispered to Pikachu.

"(No kidding,)" he agreed. Unaware of what was just said Nikki turned to Ash.

"So, shall we get moving?" she suggested.

"Sure," Ash agreed. "If at all possible I want to get to a Pokémon Center to get Growlithe looked at and to make a roster change."

"Well if I read the map right there should be one just up ahead," Nikki stated. "It's right on the edge of a forest we have to pass through."

"Alright then. Let's go." They recalled all their Pokémon except for Pikachu and Buneary, who were sitting on their respective trainer's shoulders. With everyone ready to leave they set off for the Pokémon Center.

* * *

At the Pokémon Center Nikki offered to take both Shinx and Growlithe to be checked up by Nurse Joy while Ash made the call to Professor Oak's lab to request a roster change. During the call Ash informed the professor about what happened with Growlithe.

"… so after we beat Allistar he tried to take off, but Officer Jenny showed up and arrested him on the spot," Ash said.

"That's good to hear. It's a shame that someone like him managed to receive a trainers' license," Professor Oak said.

"I know what you mean, but the best part is after the battle Growlithe wanted to come with us," Ash continued.

"My, that is good news," the professor commented. "I'm sure Growlithe will be a fine addition to your roster."

"So do I, and speaking of my Pokémon roster I'd like to make a change," Ash said.

"Of course. Now who will you be swapping today?" Professor Oak inquired.

"I want to keep my team balanced, and since I have two Fire types with Growlithe and Torkoal I was thinking of sending one of them back," Ash stated.

"I see, and which one will you send back?" the professor asked.

"Since Growlithe is new and needs so time to get used to the group I'll send Torkoal back," Ash answered.

"Okay, and who will you be taking?" Professor Oak asked. Ash had to think for a bit before coming up with a reply.

"If it's not too much trouble I'd like you to send over Bulbasaur," Ash requested.

"It's no trouble at all," Professor Oak replied. "In fact most of the work Bulbasaur usually does as the peacekeeper has been taken over by Torterra. Why there hasn't been an incident here in weeks."

"That's great news, Professor. Now that he's not needed there as much I'm sure Bulbasaur will love being able to travel with me again," Ash commented.

"I have no doubt of that," Professor Oak agreed. "Now I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do, so as soon as you send over Torkoal I can send over Bulbasaur." Ash nodded and unclipped Torkoal's Poké Ball from his belt. He placed it on the Poké Ball transporter and watched as it was sent to Professor Oak's lab.

"I received Torkoal on my end," he reported.

"That's good," Ash replied.

"Now for Bulbasaur," the professor said. "Bulbasaur! Could you come here?" Moments later a small green lizard with a bulb on his back ran up to the professor.

"(You called?)" Bulbasaur inquired. The professor looked down at him and smiled.

"I have some good news. It looks as though you'll be traveling with Ash once again," he stated. Bulbasaur's eyes lit up with excitement.

"(R-Really? Are you serious?)" he stuttered.

"Absolutely," Professor Oak answered. "In fact I called you over so I could send you to meet him." Bulbasaur was getting more and more excited with each passing moment.

"(It's been so long since I traveled with Ash!)" he excitedly stated. "Oh, but are you sure Torterra can handle things here on his own?)"

"I'm confident he can. Ash once told me Torterra acted as a peacekeeper back when he was still a Turtwig," Professor Oak explained. "You have nothing to worry about."

"(Well in that case let's get this show on the road!)" Bulbasaur declared. Professor Oak couldn't help but laugh as he returned Bulbasaur to his Poké Ball and placed it in the transporter.

"Here he comes, Ash," the professor announced. Moments later the Poké Ball was sent through the transporter.

"The Poké Ball got here safely," Ash reported.

"Glad to hear it. Now you be careful, and good luck in your next Gym battle," Professor Oak said.

"I will, and thanks," Ash replied. He ended the call just as Nikki got back with Growlithe's Poké Ball.

"Nurse Joy said Growlithe will be fine with a little bit of rest," Nikki said.

"That's good," Ash replied. Right then Buneary noticed the Poké Ball that Ash got from Professor Oak.

"(Someone new?)" she inquired.

"For you two yes, but not for me and Pikachu," Ash explained. He gripped the Poké Ball tightly in his hand.

"Time for a long-overdue reunion!" he shouted as he tossed the ball. The ball opened and Bulbasaur materialized moments later. He took a moment to gaze at his surroundings.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash called. At the sound of his trainer's voice the Seed Pokémon spun around. As soon as he saw Ash he sprang towards him, crashing into this chest and knocking him to the ground while causing Pikachu to tumble off of Ash's shoulder.

"(Ash! I've missed traveling with you!)" Bulbasaur cried, nuzzling his face against Ash's.

"Same here, buddy," Ash responded.

"(Glad to have you back, Bulbasaur,)" Pikachu greeted.

"(Good to be back, Pikachu,)" Bulbasaur stated. The two Pokémon slapped paws. Right after that Bulbasaur noticed Nikki and Buneary.

"(I don't think we've met,)" Bulbasaur commented.

"No, you haven't," Ash said. He got up and proceeded to introduce Bulbasaur to the rest of their traveling companions.

"This is Nikki and her Buneary. They're traveling with us," Ash explained.

"(Hi. Nice to meet you,)" Bulbasaur greeted, extending a vine.

"(Likewise,)" Buneary replied, shaking the vine.

"Same here," Nikki added, shaking the vine as well. After that she took out her Pokédex and scanned him.

**Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. The seed on its back is filled with nutrients. The seed grows steadily larger as its body grows.**

"(So, where are we heading now?)" Bulbasaur asked, eager to get on the road.

"Well, we're heading to Carnation Town for Nikki's next Pokémon Contest, but first we have to get through a forest," Ash explained.

"(Hopefully we won't get lost on the way. I seem to recall you had a bad habit of doing that,)" Bulbasaur commented.

"I've gotten better over the years, and besides that Nikki has the map," Ash retorted. "If we get lost it won't be my fault for a change."

"I'll just ignore that little remark," Nikki stated.

"(Okay, everyone. Let's play nice now. We've still got quite a bit of traveling to do,)" Pikachu suggested.

"Pikachu's right. We've got too much traveling to do for us to be standing here taking jabs at each other's navigation skills," Nikki stated.

"Yeah, and to be honest I was pretty bad back in the day," Ash admitted.

"(Okay. Now that we've got that taken care of we can get moving,)" Pikachu said. Ash returned Bulbasaur to his Poké Ball and, after Pikachu and Buneary had taken their places on their trainers' shoulders, the group left the Pokémon Center.

"So, you've got your team all set?" Nikki inquired.

"Yup. Along with Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Growlithe I also have Buizel, Swellow and Glalie with me," Ash replied. "I'd say that's a pretty balanced team."

"Can't argue with that," Nikki agreed. As they continued on they came across a sign on the side of the path. They paused to read what it said.

"Chrono Woods: The Forest Guarded by Time," Ash read. "Guarded by Time? What do you think that means?"

"You got me," Nikki answered. "We may find out once we enter the forest itself." Ash assumed Nikki was right as they continued on towards their next destination.

* * *

Half an hour had passed since Ash and Nikki read the sign on the side of the path, and now there were standing right outside a very large and dense forest.

"This must be Chrono Woods," Ash assumed.

"Must be," Nikki agreed. As they stared at the forest all of them got a strange, yet foreboding feeling.

"Something about this place doesn't feel very welcoming," Nikki stated. "It almost makes me not want to go in there." Ash, however, was undeterred.

"We have to pass through. There's no other way," he stated.

"Yeah, but…"

"We'll be fine. As long as we stick together we'll make it through," Ash reassured her. Though Nikki was still unsure Ash's confidence was enough to convince her to press on.

"A-Alright… I'll trust you," she said.

"Okay. Now everyone, stick together," Ash instructed. The group mustered up their courage and entered the forest.

* * *

Upon entering the forest the group came upon their first problem. The trees were grown so thick over their heads that hardly any sunlight could get through. Even though it was the middle of the day it seemed more like the middle of the night.

"This is ridiculous! I can barely see my hand in front of my face!" Nikki griped.

"I wasn't expecting it to be so dark," Ash commented. "Hey Nikki. You still have your flashlight?"

"Yeah. Give me a second." They paused for a bit while Nikki searched her backpack for her flashlight. That was proving to be quite difficult with the lack of light they were currently dealing with.

"Come on, where is it?" She dug through her backpack, wondering if she was making any sort of progress. Eventually her hand bumped into something she hoped was the item she had been searching for.

"Please be it," she hoped. She grabbed the object and took it out.

"I can hardly see what it is, but it looks like it might be the flashlight." She began feeling around for the on switch. After a few seconds she found a button. She pressed it and instantly the area in front of her and Ash was bathed in light.

"Yes! We have light!" she cheered.

"Great! Now we won't be walking around in total darkness," Ash said.

"Before we do any more walking I say we check out where we are first," Nikki suggested. Ash didn't object as she shone the flashlight all around the general area. For the most part they appeared to be alone, but as Nikki continued to shine the light what looked like eyes appeared amongst the trees.

"I t-think you need to t-turn off the f-flashlight, N-Nikki," Ash stuttered, becoming slightly unnerved by the many eyes that suddenly appeared.

"Y-Yeah… s-sure," Nikki agreed. She turned off the light, but the minute she did the sound of flapping wings surrounded them. Moments later they were swarmed by a horde of bat-like Pokémon.

"Ah! Golbat!" Nikki screamed. The Bat Pokémon swarmed the two trainers and their Pokémon, screeching loudly and flapping their wings furiously.

"Let's get out of here!" Ash shouted. He grabbed Pikachu while Nikki grabbed Buneary. With their Pokémon secure they attempted to escape through the trees. They didn't care where they were heading, just as long as it was away from the Golbat. They put quite a bit of distance between them and the Golbat before finally stopping to rest next to a river.

"Is… everyone okay?" Ash asked.

"Yeah… just… exhausted," Nikki panted. "That was… not the welcome… I was expecting."

"I don't think… anyone… was expecting that," Ash stated.

"Do you think… we lost them?" Before Ash could respond the Golbat burst out of the trees and swarmed them again.

"Forget I asked!" Nikki yelled.

"Let's try to lose them again!" Ash suggested. Before they could move the Golbat went on the attack, launching a volley of Air Slash attacks at them.

"Look out!" Nikki warned. She, Ash and the Pokémon all jumped out of the way, but in the process one of the attacks struck the ground next to Nikki. The shockwave sent Nikki stumbling towards the river.

"Nikki!" Ash called.

"Whoa! Ash, help me!" The two trainers reached for each other, but the Golbat fired another volley of Air Cutter attacks, cutting them off. With nothing to help keep her balance Nikki and Buneary fell into the river.

"No!" she cried as the river carried her and Buneary away.

"Nikki! Buneary!" Ash called. He wanted desperately to help them, but with Nikki gone the Golbat focused all their attention on him and Pikachu. The Air Cutter attacks continued, forcing Ash and Pikachu to continuously dodge. After a few dodges Ash found an opportunity to strike back.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" he shouted. The Electric mouse was more than happy to comply as he unleashed a massive Thunderbolt, electrocuting every Golbat surrounding them and forcing the Bat Pokémon to retreat back into the forest.

"Good going, Pikachu," Ash praised. That moment was short lived, though, for Ash and Pikachu's concern immediately went to Nikki and Buneary.

"Come on. Maybe they washed up somewhere downstream," Ash said. With a nod Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and hung on as Ash charged through the forest, following the river with hopes that they would find Nikki and Buneary. Unbeknownst to them, though, they were being watched.

"Well well, it appears as though the twerpette is all washed up," James commented.

"If you ask me she was all washed up to begin with," Jessie spat.

"You know, this is the perfect opportunity for us to sweep in and snatch their Pokémon," Meowth said.

"Really? How so?" James questioned.

"Think about it. The main twerp will be so busy looking for the twerpette that he won't notice us until it's too late," Meowth explained.

"You may be on to something there, Meowth," Jessie commented. "Let's do it." With their objective clearly planned out the mischievous trio silently followed Ash and he searched for Nikki.

* * *

Deep in the forest Nikki and Buneary had finally gotten out of the river. They were both soaking wet, but otherwise unharmed. However, that was the last thing on their minds. Their main concern was getting back to Ash and Pikachu, but that was easier said than done.

"There's no telling how far away that river sent us," Nikki commented. "We could be miles away from Ash and Pikachu now."

"(Do you think they're okay?)" Buneary asked.

"I hope so. They were left all alone with those Golbat," Nikki said. That only made Buneary worry even more. Thankfully Nikki was quick to dispel her fears.

"They'll be fine. Pikachu has a type advantage on those Golbat," she stated. "In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he had already sent them packing." This made the Rabbit Pokémon feel a bit better, though she was still noticeably worried.

"Come on. Let's see if we can find the main path," Nikki suggested. The two of them left the river and headed into the forest in their search for the path that would hopefully take them back to Ash and Pikachu. Fortunately the forest wasn't as thick overhead as it was when they first entered, so they could see without the use of the flashlight. Unfortunately that didn't make finding the main path any easier.

"I wish we had some idea of which way to go. Right now we're just walking blind," Nikki commented. Buneary nodded in agreement as they kept looking. They soon reached a small clearing with a clear view of the sky. Nikki used her arm to partially shield her face as she gazed up at the sky.

"Man… we've been walking around in this dark forest for so long I almost forgot that it was still daylight," she commented. As Nikki gazed at the sun Buneary made a discovery.

"(Hey, check this out!)" Right in the middle of the clearing was a small shrine. It appeared as though no one had tended to it in a long time. It was overgrown with moss and vines, giving it a rather ancient appearance.

"(Who do you suppose this shrine is for?)" Buneary wondered.

"No clue," Nikki replied. As they gazed at the shrine they were being watched from within the forest. A pair of blue eyes watched them closely, almost as if whoever they belonged to was expecting them to do something.

"(Let's check it out,)" Buneary suggested.

"Well… okay. We may find out who it's for," Nikki agreed. As the two of them approached the shrine the mysterious watcher's eyes furrowed in anger. It had determined they were a threat to the shrine and would do whatever it took to deter them. The eyes briefly flashed blue, indicating that an attack had just been used.

"(Hey Nikki. I've got a feeling that we're being… watched,)" Buneary stated.

"Watched? Watched by what?" Nikki asked.

"(I don't know. I just know that something is watching us,)" Buneary said. The two of them stopped and looked around. Aside from the trees surrounding the clearing they saw nothing else.

"I don't see anything. Maybe you were just…"

"(Nikki! Help me!)" At the sound of her Pokémon's distressed call Nikki spun around and gasped in surprise at what she saw. A vine had somehow snaked its way from one of the trees, slithered across the ground undetected and grabbed Buneary.

"Let her go!" Nikki demanded. She reached for Buneary, but before she could grab her the vine retracted, pulling Buneary against one of the trees. Shortly after that more vines appeared and bound the Rabbit Pokémon to the tree.

"(Let me go!)" Buneary demanded. She did all she could to free herself, but the vines refused to give.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Nikki called. She managed to take one step before a tree root sprouted from the ground and caught her ankle, almost making her fall.

"(Nikki!)" Buneary cried.

"You won't… get me!" Nikki declared. She tried to pull her leg free, but that soon proved to be useless. She then reached down to unwrap the root from around her ankle, but she quickly discovered that the root was a bit stronger than she first thought.

"Come… on! Let… go!" While she struggled with the root around her ankle two more sprouted behind her. With Nikki unaware of their presence they wrapped around her upper arms and pulled her back-first to the ground, stunning her on impact.

"Ow… that hurt," Nikki groaned. While she regained her bearings more roots sprouted from the ground and grabbed her. Two sprouted on each side of her and grabbed her wrists, two more coiled around her waist and a fifth wrapped around her other ankle. By the time Nikki realized what was happening it was too late.

"No!" she screamed. She pulled against the roots to see if she could free herself, but they held fast.

"I… c-can't… break free!" Nikki groaned.

"(Try reaching your Poké Balls!)" Buneary suggested. Nikki tried to move her arm, but because of the roots she could barely move her arm at all.

"It's… no good! I can't… move… my arms!" Nikki shouted. Unable to reach her Poké Balls Nikki knew she and Buneary were in serious danger.

"What do we do now?" she panicked. "I wish Ash was here!"

"(He may be nearby! Try calling for him!)" Buneary suggested. With nothing else to lose Nikki took a deep breath and called for the Pallet Town trainer.

"Ash! Where are you?" She could only hope he had heard her.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu were nearby, still searching for any trace of Nikki and Buneary. So far though they had little success in finding them.

"Nikki? Buneary?" Ash called.

"(Where are you guys?)" Pikachu shouted. After getting no response Ash sighed.

"Do you think they're even in this part of the forest?" he wondered. "I mean, what if the river carried them further away than we think?"

"(Don't lose hope. We'll find them,)" Pikachu reassured.

"Yeah… yeah, you're right. We just have to keep looking," Ash said. With renewed focus they got ready to continue their search. But then…

"Ash! Where are you?"

"(Did you hear that?)" Pikachu asked.

"That was Nikki! She's in trouble!" Ash gasped.

"(It sounded like it came from over there!)" Pikachu said, pointing to their right.

"Let's go!" With Pikachu in the lead they charged through the forest. They didn't know what sort of danger Nikki and Buneary were in, but they hoped they wouldn't arrive too late.

* * *

The unknown being looked on as Nikki and Buneary struggled to free themselves, though the expression in its eyes had changed. They had gone from anger to curiosity. There was something about the name Nikki had called out that stirred something inside of it.

"Ash! If you can hear me we need you!" Nikki screamed.

"(Pikachu! Please answer me!)" Buneary cried. The two of them kept trying to break free of their bondage, each one hoping Ash and Pikachu had heard their cries for help.

"Nikki! Buneary!"

"(Can you hear us?)" Nikki and Buneary both got excited at the sound of the voices.

"That's Ash and Pikachu!" Nikki cheered. "Guys! We're over here!" Seconds later Ash and Pikachu burst into the clearing. As soon as they emerged into the clearing the mysterious eyes grew wide in surprise.

"You two okay?" Ash asked as soon as he spotted Nikki and Buneary.

"Other than being a bit 'tied up' at the moment we're fine," Nikki joked. "Do you think you could hurry up and cut us loose or something?"

"Just sit tight. We'll have you two free in a jiffy," Ash said. He turned to Pikachu.

"Use Iron Tail to cut them free," he instructed.

"(Coming right up.)" Pikachu powered up his Iron Tail, his tail taking on a whitish glow. Just as he was about to take his first swing at the roots holding Nikki…

"(Ash? Pikachu? Is that really you?)" Upon hearing the voice Ash and Pikachu looked around.

"Did you hear that too?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah. It sounded… familiar,)" Pikachu stated. As Ash and Pikachu tried to figure out where they had heard that voice from Nikki wondered what was taking them so long.

"What are you waiting for?" Nikki inquired.

"That voice… I think Pikachu and I know whose voice that is," Ash replied.

"If that's the case then maybe you could ask them to let me and Buneary go," Nikki requested.

"(You guys… do remember me, don't you?)" the voice asked. As they listened the voice became more and more familiar.

"(Hey Ash, I think this is…)" Ash nodded, knowing who Pikachu was talking about.

"Is that you… Celebi?"

"(Yay! You remembered me!)" From within the forest a floating green orb appeared. It quickly approached them, flying around them a few times before stopping right in front of Ash and Pikachu. Then, the orb dispersed and revealed a small fairy-like Pokémon inside.

"(It is Celebi!)" Pikachu said.

"It's been a while, hasn't it," Ash commented.

"(Yup! I'm glad you didn't forget about me,)" Celebi said.

"We'd never forget about you," Ash stated. Nikki could only stare in surprise.

"Y-You guys know Celebi?" she asked.

"Yeah. We first met her back in Johto, and then again in Kanto," Ash explained.

"(Is she a friend of yours?)" Celebi asked.

"Yeah. Do you think you could release her and her Pokémon?" Ash requested.

"(Sure thing!)" Her eyes flashed blue just as they did before, and within seconds the roots holding Nikki and the Vines holding Buneary all retracted. Buneary hopped over to the group while Ash helped Nikki back to her feet.

"(Sorry about doing that. I wasn't sure if you were going to harm my shrine or not,)" Celebi explained.

"That's okay. You were just protecting your shrine," Nikki said. At the mention of Celebi's shrine everyone gathered around it.

"(Looks a little unkempt,)" Pikachu commented.

"(There haven't been many visitors to my shrine, so the grass and moss have been able to grow around it,)" Celebi explained. "(I don't mind, though. I think it gives my shrine a rather ancient and mystical look.)"

"That's certainly one way to put it," Nikki commented. While they conversed around the shrine Jessie, James and Meowth were concealed in the woods.

"What luck! We come looking for Pikachu and we find Celebi!" James excitedly whispered.

"I say we take the big prize now and come back for the small one later," Jessie suggested.

"Sounds good to me," James agreed.

"Then let's get busy with some stealing," Meowth said. The three of them burst out of the forest and into the open, startling Ash and the others.

"What the? Not you three!" the Pallet Town trainer groaned.

"What do you want this time?" Nikki demanded.

"Normally we'd be here for Pikachu, but this time we have a bigger and more valuable prize in mind," Jessie declared. Right then all three of them pointed at Celebi.

"And that prize is you," Meowth declared. As Team Rocket eyed Celebi Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon put themselves in between Team Rocket and the Time Travel Pokémon.

"There's no way we're letting you get your hands on Celebi!" Ash declared.

"Too bad you don't have a say in this matter!" Jessie said.

"Less talking, more grabbing!" Meowth said. The three of them lunged at the group, intent on taking Celebi for their own.

"We won't let you!" Ash declared. As he, Nikki and their Pokémon got ready to repel Team Rocket's attack Celebi began to grow worried. She wanted no part of the battle that was to come.

"(I've got to get out of here!)" She began to concentrate, her body giving off a greenish glow.

"Celebi! What are you doing?" Ash asked.

"(Getting out of here!)" she replied. As the glow grew brighter Ash realized what she was doing, and also what that meant for himself, Nikki and Team Rocket.

"Celebi, wait! We're too close! You're going to…" But he was too late. In a bright flash Celebi vanished, traveling to an unknown time period. Unfortunately in her haste she had taken Ash, Nikki, their Pokémon and Team Rocket with her. One could only wonder where, and when, they'd end up.

* * *

A chance meeting with Celebi has turned disasterous as a random attack from Team Rocket has sent them spiraling through time. Where will they end up? When will they end up? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please reivew


	20. Right Place, Wrong Time

**Chapter 20: Right Place, Wrong Time**

It felt like a lifetime had gone by since Ash and the others had been in adversity pulled into Celebi's Time Travel vortex, but in reality it had only been a brief moment. In the blink of an eye Celebi, along with Ash and the others, came out of time travel. The Time Travel Pokémon landed gracefully, but Ash and the others weren't so lucky as they crashed to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Ow… that really hurt," Nikki groaned. "Is everyone alright?"

"I'm fine. The only thing that hurts right now is my pride," Ash replied. "How about you guys, Pikachu?"

"(We're okay,)" the Mouse Pokémon answered.

"I'll be fine when James gets off my back," Jessie complained.

"I will as soon as Meowth gets off mine," James retorted. As the humans and Pokémon got off each other they looked around and took in their surroundings.

"Guys… where are we?" Ash wondered.

"I think a better question is 'when' are we," Nikki corrected. It appeared as though they were in the same forest as before, but just about all of the trees were devoid of leaves and appeared to be dead and the sky was an ominous gray color. Looking around they spotted Celebi's shrine in the same place as before, but it too looked very different. The moss and weeds were gone, but the shrine itself was in terrible shape. Large chunks of stone had broken off and fallen to the ground at the base of the shrine.

"What are you going on about?" Meowth asked, not knowing what Nikki was implying.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken that was a time travel vortex we were sucked into, right Celebi?" she inquired. The Time Travel Pokémon nodded. At this point Ash began to realize what Nikki was getting at.

"If that's true then…"

"We've been sent through time!" Jessie panicked. "I can't stay here! There are so many things I've left undone!"

"No! Who will watch over my bottle cap collection?" James wailed.

"And I've got to keep that Persian from making me completely obsolete!" Meowth screeched. Ash, Nikki and the Pokémon all looked at each other with bored expressions.

"Drama queens, aren't they," Nikki commented.

"You don't know the half of it," Ash sighed. While Team Rocket panicked Nikki turned to Celebi.

"Do you think you could send us back?" she asked.

"(No problem!)" Celebi replied. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

"Alright, everyone! Get ready to time travel!" Nikki announced. Everyone gathered around Celebi and waited for her to send them back to their own time. After a few minutes it became apparent that something was wrong.

"Umm… why haven't we gone back to our own time?" James wondered. Celebi opened her eyes and sighed.

"(I'm sorry, everyone. That last go must have taken a bit more out of me than I realized. I don't have enough strength to open another time travel vortex,)" she explained.

"So we're trapped here?" Jessie screamed. Celebi nodded her head, confirming their fears. Right then Jessie glared at Ash and Nikki.

"This is all your fault!" Jessie accused, pointing at them.

"What? How is any of this our fault?" Ash demanded.

"If you had just let us snatch Celebi in the first place we wouldn't be here!" Jessie retorted.

"That's right! We'd have Celebi and still be in our own time, but you had to interfere!" James added.

"No way! If you hadn't tried to take Celebi this wouldn't have happened! If anything this is all your fault!" Ash argued, throwing the blame back at the mischievous trio.

"No, it's YOUR fault!" James shouted.

"No, yours!" Ash argued.

"Yours!"

"YOURS!"

"Who cares? If we pilfer Celebi right now we can get her to take us back to our time and leave the twerps here!" Meowth interrupted.

"Oh no you don't!" Ash said. He and Pikachu stepped in front of Celebi, waiting for Team Rocket to make a move. Jessie scoffed and threw out a Poké Ball.

"Magcargo! Get me that Celebi!" she ordered. The Lava Pokémon appeared and went straight for Celebi.

"Knock him back with Iron Tail!" Ash instructed. Using his outstanding speed Pikachu intercepted Magcargo and swung at him using Iron Tail.

"Protect!" Jessie ordered. Magcargo quickly put up his Protect barrier, deflecting Pikachu's Iron Tail.

"Now Flamethrower!" Jessie shouted. Magcargo smirked and spat out a stream of flames at Pikachu.

"Counter with Thunderbolt!" Ash instructed. Acting fast Pikachu blocked the incoming Flamethrower with a well-placed electric bolt. With their attacks blocked the two Pokémon stared at each other, each waiting for the next move to be made.

"Okay, Magcargo! Use…"

"Hold it!" Before Jessie could call out her next attack Nikki stepped in between her and Ash, putting an end to their brief battle.

"Whoa! What's wrong, Nikki?" Ash wondered.

"Right now we've got more important things to do than fight each other," she stated. "Celebi, is there anyway you can recharge your time travel powers?" The Time Travel Pokémon thought for a bit.

"(Well, whenever I time travel I make it a habit to always make sure I arrive at a location near a special healing spring,)" she said.

"Healing spring?" Ash questioned.

"(That's right. If I ever run low on energy those springs will restore my powers in no time at all,)" Celebi explained.

"In that case we need to find that spring and get you back to full power so we can get back to our own time," Ash said.

"Do you know where the spring is?" Nikki asked.

"(I'm not entirely sure. I know it's somewhere in this forest. I'll be able to sense it once we get close enough to it,)" Celebi answered.

"Okay. I propose that while we're looking for the spring we call a temporary truce," Nikki suggested. "As long as you three don't try anything we won't attack you. Agreed?"

"That's fine by me," Ash said. "Pikachu?"

"(I'm okay with it, as long as they don't try anything,)" the Mouse Pokémon stated.

"Looks like it's come down to you three. Do you agree to a truce?" Nikki questioned. Before giving their answer the three of them huddled up to discuss their options.

"I hate being all buddy-buddy with the twerps," Jessie spat.

"Same here, but it doesn't look like we have much of a choice in this matter," James sighed.

"Look on the bright side. If we play our cards right his could work to our advantage," Meowth pointed out.

"And what makes you say that?" Jessie asked.

"Simple. We work with the twerps until they find that spring and get Celebi back to her perky time traveling self. Then, we snatch her out from under their twerpish noses and have her whisk us back home and leave the twerps stuck here," Meowth explained. His human companions each had wicked smirks on their faces.

"I love it," Jessie said.

"If there's one thing more enjoyable than beating twerps, it's betraying their trust," James said. With their meting over they got up and approached Ash and Nikki.

"After careful deliberation we have decided to work with you," Jessie announced.

"Okay. Just remember… we'll be keeping our eyes on you three," Nikki warned.

"Trust us, you have nothing to worry about," James said.

"That's just it… we don't trust you," Nikki replied. "Okay. Celebi, you lead the way. Pikachu, Buneary, stay close to her."

"(Gotcha,)" Pikachu said.

"(Will do,)" Buneary added. The two of them stood by Celebi's side as she lead the group through the forest.

* * *

It had been close to ten minutes since their search for Celebi's healing spring began, but so fat they hadn't been able to determine its location. Even Celebi was at a loss as to where it could be.

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Celebi?" Nikki asked.

"(I… I think so. It's strange that I can't sense the spring. I was sure we were close enough to it for me to sense where it is,)" Celebi commented.

"Well next time make sure you know where you're going before you do something like this," Jessie griped.

"Well if you three hadn't decided to try and kidnap her this wouldn't have happened in the first place," Ash countered.

"Why you…"

"Guys… I think we have a problem here." Before a full-blown argument could erupt between Ash and team Rocket Nikki pointed out an obstacle in their path. Right in front of them was a wide chasm.

"(That is quite the problem,)" Buneary commented. Ash walked up to the edge of the chasm and peered down.

"See anything?" Nikki asked.

"Nothing. If I didn't know any better I'd say this thing was bottomless," Ash replied.

"Well that's no good," Nikki commented.

"Now hold on! Don't one of you twerps have a Flying Pokémon that could carry us across?" Jessie questioned.

"The only one we have is Swellow, and he's not big enough to carry us. The only ones he'd be able to carry across are the Pokémon," Ash explained.

"(I could fly across on my own,)" Celebi stated as she hovered in the air in front of the group.

"Well that's just great for little Miss Tinkerbell over there, but what about us?" Jessie demanded.

"We'll have to find another way across," Ash answered.

"(You mean like that way?)" Pikachu asked, pointing further down the chasm. He had spotted a bridge that they could use to get across.

"Alright! Nice work, Pikachu!" Ash praised. They ran towards the bridge, happy to find they had a way across. However, upon reaching the bridge they found it was in much worse shape than it first appeared.

"I'm not too sure about this," Nikki said. "That bridge looks like it could collapse at any given moment."

"I know what you mean. Still, this is our only option," Ash said. Before taking a step onto the bridge he tossed a Poké Ball and called on Swellow.

"(What's up?)" the avian Pokémon inquired.

"We need you to fly Pikachu, Buneary and Meowth to the other side," Ash instructed.

"(Sure thing,)" Swellow said.

"Hold it! Why does Meowth get a quick flight over?" Jessie complained.

"We said Swellow could fly the Pokémon over. That includes Meowth," Nikki explained.

"Hey, you won't hear me complaining," Meowth stated. Because Swellow could only carry one at a time he had to make multiple trips, but eventually Pikachu, Buneary, Celebi and Meowth were all taken to the other side of the chasm.

"Thank you, Swellow," Ash said. He returned him to his Poké Ball to rest.

"Okay, now who's going across first?" Nikki wondered.

"First? What do you mean first?" Jessie questioned.

"We can't all cross at the same time. If we do the bridge is more than likely going to snap and we'll all fall," Ash explained. "It makes more sense for us to cross one at a time to make sure that doesn't happen."

"That would be the logical thing to do," James agreed.

"That's all fine and dandy, but who is going to cross this thing first?" Jessie asked. Truth be told no one wanted to be the first to test the sturdiness of the bridge. After waiting for someone to step forward Ash decided to be the one.

"I'll go first," he announced.

"Are you sure?" Nikki asked.

"I'd rather something happen to me while crossing than one of you," Ash told her. Though she herself didn't want to be the first to cross she also didn't want Ash to be the proverbial guinea pig, but there was something about what he said that made her feel okay with him going first.

"Please… be careful," she said.

"I will. Don't worry," Ash replied. He approached the bridge and gazed at it. The ropes were worn and the planks looked ready to break. After taking a deep breath to calm his nerves Ash took one step onto the bridge, easing on to the wooden planks to make sure they wouldn't break. As soon as he was sure the plank would hold his weight he began to slowly make his way across.

"_Okay… so far, so good. Just take it slow and steady and…_ ah!" he had just reached the halfway point in the bridge when one of the planks gave way. His leg plunged through, almost making him fall into the chasm.

"(Ash!)" Pikachu cried.

"Oh no! Are you okay?" Nikki called.

"Y-Yeah! I-I'm fine!" Ash replied, a bit shaken up. After pausing a bit to regain his composure he got back to his feet and continued on. Everyone watched with eager anticipation as Ash got closer and closer to the other side. Then, after what seemed like forever, he made it to the opposite side. Almost immediately after setting foot on solid ground Pikachu jumped into his arms.

"(Don't scare me like that again!)" he cried.

"Sorry buddy. I didn't mean to," Ash apologized.

"(I know you didn't,)" Pikachu replied. "(It's just… you could have…)"

"You don't have to say anything else," Ash interrupted, knowing exactly what his faithful companion was going to say next.

"Is it safe to cross?" Nikki called.

"Yeah! Just be careful where you step! Some of those planks aren't as sturdy as they first appear!" Ash warned. Nikki nodded and approached the bridge.

"Hold it! Who said you could go next?" Jessie protested.

"You really think I'd let you two go before me? If I did you'd more than likely attack Ash so you could make off with Celebi!" Nikki accused.

"_So much for that idea,"_ Jessie mumbled to herself. With no more objections from Jessie or James Nikki began to cross the bridge. After seeing Ash cross she had a good idea where it was safe to step. Still, her pace was a bit slower than Ash's, which did annoy Jessie a bit.

"Oh come on! I'll be an old woman by the time she gets across!" she complained.

"She does appear to be taking her own sweet time," James agreed.

"Hey! Hurry up! You're not the only one who has to cross!" Jessie yelled. Nikki glanced back, annoyance clearly present on her face.

"Will you be patient! I have to make sure I make it in one piece!" she countered. She had hoped that was enough and resumed crossing. She was close to halfway when Jessie decided she was tired of waiting.

"I don't have all day to wait on her! I'm going!" She sprang to her feet and made for the bridge, rushing onto it. Doing so, however, caused the bridge to become very unstable and almost impossible to walk across.

"J-Jessie! W-What are you d-doing?" Nikki stuttered as she tried to keep her balance.

"I'm n-not going to w-wait all for y-you to c-cross!" Jessie replied. As the two girls tried to make their way across James realized he was all alone.

"Hey, wait for me!" he called. He too rushed onto the bridge, but all that did was make it harder to cross. Now the bridge was swaying back and forth dangerously, threatening to throw the three crossing trainers over the side.

"Nikki!" Ash called.

"(Hurry up!)" Buneary urged. Nikki tried, but she could barely make any progress with the way the bridge was swaying. Then, Ash saw something that made him go pale. Back on the other side the ropes holding the bridge up were breaking.

"The bridge is about to fall! Hurry!" he shouted. The three of them tried to cross faster, but that only made the bridge sway even more.

Then… the inevitable happened…

Two simultaneous snaps echoed through the air as the ropes holding the bridge up finally gave way. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the bridge fell into the chasm, taking Nikki and Team Rocket with it.

"No!"

"(Nikki!)"

* * *

What started off as a bad situation has now gotten worse. With Nikki and Team Rocket plunging into the chasm is there anything Ash can do to save them? Or are they doomed for a long fall into the darkness? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	21. Bridging the Time Gap

**Chapter 21: Bridging the Time Gap**

"No!" As soon as the bridge gave way Ash bolted to the edge of the chasm. He looked down, hoping to see some indication that Nikki and Team Rocket had somehow managed to save themselves. The dark void threatened to draw him in as he stared down at it, but thankfully he spotted Nikki and Team Rocket hanging on to the bridge.

"_What a relief,"_ he sighed. "You guys okay down there?"

"For the time being we are!" Nikki replied.

"You two can talk later! Now hurry up and help us!" Jessie demanded. Looking down Ash saw they were quite a ways below him, at least a good ten feet, well out of his reach. Not only that but many of the planks were broken due to the impact with the side of the cliff, so asking Nikki and Team Rocket to climb up was out of the question.

"_It's going to be tough getting them up here. If only I had some rope or something. Then I could lower myself down there to them… wait! I have something better!"_ With a plan set in his head and grabbed one of his Poké Balls and threw it out.

"Bulbasaur, we need you!" Moments later the Seed Pokémon appeared.

"(What's going on?)" he asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"Nikki and Team Rocket are down the side of this cliff. I need you to lower me down with Vine Whip and then pull us all up when I give the signal," Ash explained. "Think you're up to the task?"

"(I'll do my best,)" Bulbasaur vowed. With a nod Ash looked down to Nikki and Team Rocket.

"I'm coming down to help! Just hang tight!" he called.

"Like we have a choice!" Nikki replied. Ash then turned and nodded to Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon nodded back and wrapped two vines around Ash's waist. After making sure Bulbasaur had a firm grip he began to make his way down.

"(Be careful, Ash!)" Pikachu called. Ash gave him a thumbs up before continuing down the cliff. Nikki and Team Rocket watched with bated breath as Ash made his way down the side of the cliff, supported by nothing else other than Bulbasaur's Vine Whip. After a few agonizing moments he was within arms reach of Nikki.

"That's far enough, Bulbasaur!" he called. As soon as Bulbasaur stopped lowering him he reached out towards Nikki.

"Take my hand!" he shouted. Nikki slowly reached out for Ash's outstretched hand, but as she did she made one critical mistake.

She looked down.

"Oh my…" As she stared down into the chasm she became even more hesitant than before. Noticing this Ash tried to get her focused on something else.

"Listen, focus on me! Don't worry about what's below you!" he called.

"I'm not worried about what's below me! I'm worried about what's not!" Nikki replied.

"I won't let you fall! Just take my hand and I promise you'll be okay!" Ash said. Nikki finally managed to look at him.

"Y-You promise?" she asked.

"I promise," Ash answered. That seemed to do the trick. With a bit more confidence Nikki reached for Ash and grabbed his hand.

"Okay, Bulbasaur! Hold tight!" Ash shouted.

"(You got it!)" the Seed Pokémon responded. Moments later Nikki released the bridge, letting Ash take on her entire body weight.

"How are you doing?" Ash questioned.

"About as well as expected," Nikki answered.

"How about you, Bulbasaur?" Ash called.

"(I'm good,)" the Seed Pokémon answered. Despite having to support another person's weight now he remained strong.

"Hey! What about us?" Jessie shrieked. "We're still down here!"

"You can't just leave us hanging here!" James pleaded. As they begged for help Ash and Nikki stared at each other.

"I wouldn't be against leaving them there just to keep them from following us everywhere we go," she commented.

"I know what you mean, but we can't," Ash said.

"I know," Nikki sighed. With Team Rocket still a ways below them Ash asked for Bulbasaur to lower them a bit further. Once they were close enough Ash called for him to stop.

"Grab my foot!" Nikki shouted. Jessie looked up and saw Nikki right above her holding her leg out. She reached out and latched onto Nikki's ankle, holding on for dear life. Ash had to tighten his hold on Nikki to make sure he didn't drop them. Up above Bulbasaur had to dig in a bit. Jessie's extra weight was a bit more than he was expecting.

"Okay, Bulbasaur! Lower us down so we can get James!" Ash instructed.

"(O…kay,)" Bulbasaur grunted. He carefully lowered them until Ash told him to stop.

"Come on, James!" Ash called. The male member of Team Rocket looked up and saw how close they were, but he was too afraid to let go of the bridge.

"Hurry up!" Nikki shouted.

"I… I can't! If I let go I'll fall!" James cried.

"If you don't we'll leave you down here! Now come on!" Jessie demanded. That was all the motivation James needed. He reached out towards Jessie and wrapped his arms tightly around her legs.

"Okay! Pull us up!" Ash shouted. He waited for Bulbasaur to start bringing them up, but that moment didn't come.

"Bulbasaur, what's wrong?" Ash called. Up above Pikachu and the other Pokémon could see that Bulbasaur was not only having difficulty pulling them up but he was also slowly losing ground.

"(Come on! He needs some extra muscle!)" Pikachu shouted.

"(If we don't hurry he's going to lose them!)" Buneary urged. The four remaining Pokémon rushed to Bulbasuar's aid. Pikachu and Meowth grabbed one vine while Buneary and Celebi grabbed the other.

"(Okay! Everyone pull!)" Their combined strength was enough to keep Bulbasaur from losing any more ground, but now they had to muster even more strength to pull the trainers back up.

"(Come on! Put your backs into it!)" Pikachu urged.

"If I put my back into it any more I might break it!" Meowth complained.

"(Oh, quit your whining and pull!)" Buneary demanded. The Pokémon increased their efforts and eventually began to pull Ash and the others back up the cliff.

"That's it! Keep it up!" Ash cheered. With Ash urging them on the Pokémon continued to pull them up. After a long, agonizing struggle, Ash's hand appeared at the top of the cliff, holding on to the ground as he hoisted himself up. He then helped Nikki and Team Rocket up to the top of the cliff, successfully removing them from danger.

"Whew… that was a close one," Ash gasped.

"(Ash!)" The Pallet Town trainer looked up in time to see Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Celebi rush to his side.

"(Are you okay?)" Celebi asked.

"I'm fine, thanks to all of you," he replied. "In fact we all are." Glancing to his left he saw Nikki hugging Buneary, doing her best to comfort the small Pokémon.

"(I thought I was going to lose you!)" the Rabbit Pokémon cried.

"Shh… it's okay. I'm okay now," she soothed. At the same time all three members of Team Rocket embraced each other.

"We almost had our final blast off!" Jessie cried.

"Yeah, and I couldn't handle this gig solo!" Meowth added.

"That'll never happen! Team Rocket sticks together no matter what!" James stated. While all this was going on Ash was thanking Bulbasaur for his help.

"We were in a really tight spot there, but you and the other Pokémon came through," he praised.

"(I'm just thankful we were able to get all of you back up here safely,)" Bulbasaur admitted.

"So am I," Ash agreed. He then returned Bulbasaur to his Poké Ball for some rest. Then, once Pikachu was back on his shoulder, he stood up.

"Come on. We need to hurry up and find Celebi's healing spring," he said.

"Yeah, and the sooner we do that the sooner we can get back to our own time," Nikki added. There were no objections as the group got up and continued on.

* * *

"Come on. How much further is it?" Jessie whined. It had been close to half an hour since the incident at the bridge, and so far there was no sign of the healing spring they had been searching for.

"If we knew we wouldn't be searching now, would we," Nikki retorted.

"Well you don't have to be so nasty about it," Jessie griped.

"If you've forgotten it your fault we're in this situation in the first place," Nikki argued. While the two of them went back and forth Ash was looking around.

"(Something wrong, Ash?)" Pikachu asked.

"Have you noticed that we haven't seen a single Pokémon since we got here," he commented. That remark got the attention of the others.

"Now that you mention it we haven't seen any Pokémon," Nikki agreed.

"Quite the curious case," James commented.

"Do you have any idea why, Celebi?" Nikki asked.

"(Depending on what time period we've landed in this could be long before Pokémon started living here or long after,)" she explained.

"(Well, judging by how your shrine looked back there I think it's a safe guess to say we're in the future, which means this is more than likely long after Pokémon have been here,)" Pikachu assumed.

"That does sound like a safe guess," Nikki agreed. "I wonder what happened to them."

"Who knows," Ash replied. The group continued on, still searching for the healing spring that would restore Celebi's powers.

"(Hey! I'm starting to sense something!)" Celebi stated.

"Is it the spring?" Nikki asked.

"(I think so,)" Celebi said.

"Come on. Let's hurry." The group followed the Time Travel Pokémon as she headed towards what they hoped was the healing spring. As they got closer something was watching them from the shadows.

"(It's not far now! Just as few more… ah!)" A sudden explosion in front of them stopped the group in their tracks. As everyone shielded their eyes one question was on everyone's mind.

"What was that?" Nikki shouted.

"I think something attacked us! I don't know what, but we need to get ready for it to attack again!" Ash said. He had Pikachu take a position in front of the group while Nikki asked Buneary to do the same. As they waited a white four-legged Pokémon with a scythe-like horn on the side of his head appeared in front of them.

"What's that?" James shrieked.

"An Absol!" Ash gasped. Nikki immediately took out her Pokédex and scanned him.

**Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. It has the ability to foretell natural disasters. It's life span is over a hundred years.**

"What's an Absol doing here, especially since we haven't seen any other Pokémon," Nikki wondered.

"(Leave! You are not permitted here!)" the Disaster Pokémon demanded. This caught everyone by surprise, but at the same time they knew they couldn't just turn and leave, especially with what they needed to do.

"I'm sorry Absol, but we can't do that. We have to get Celebi to the healing spring," Ash explained. Upon mentioning Celebi the Absol's eyes grew wide.

"(Celebi? She is with you?)" He looked all around trying to find her. Eventually he saw her hovering in the air next to Ash.

"(C-Celebi! P-Please forgive me! I had no idea you were traveling with them!)" he apologized.

"(It's okay,)" she told him. "(Do you know if the healing spring is nearby? I need to restore my powers so I can bring these people and their Pokémon back to their own time.)"

"(Of course. Follow me and I'll lead you to it,)" Absol offered. Everyone was in agreement as they filed in behind Absol and let him lead the way to the healing spring.

"So… are you the only Pokémon here?" Ash asked. Absol sighed and lowered his head.

"(Sadly yes. The other Pokémon who used to live here left a long time ago,)" Absol answered. "(I've been here alone for Mew knows how long.)"

"Don't you get… lonely?" Nikki asked.

"(More than you know,)" Absol replied. The sadness was evident in his voice, causing everyone to feel for him.

"(We have arrived,)" he announced. Looking up everyone saw a small pond in front of them. Despite the bleak and dreary look of the rest of the forest the spring itself was a sight to behold. The water was crystal clear, and there were a few flowers growing on the bank.

"Talk about complete opposites. This spring looks nothing like the rest of this forest," Jessie commented. While everyone else marveled at the beauty of the spring Celebi flew over to it. Once there she lowered herself into the water, letting it come up to her waist. Shortly after that the water in the spring began to give off a slight greenish glow.

"What's happening?" Ash wondered.

"(The spring is restoring Celebi's powers,)" Absol explained. "(Soon she'll be able to bring you and your friends back to your own time.)" Hearing this everyone got excited.

"Alright! I'll be able to get back to challenging the Legenda Gyms!" Ash exclaimed.

"And I can keep competing in Contests!" Nikki added. Within seconds Celebi's Psychic powers had been restored. Fully energized she flew around the group, giggling happily.

"(Yay! My powers are back!)" she cheered.

"Great! Now you can bring us back to our own time," Nikki said.

"(Yup!)" Celebi agreed. As she prepared to open the Time Travel vortex Team Rocket huddled together.

"Now that we're going back to our won time that little truce we had with the twerps is ancient history," Meowth said.

"Which means we're free to snatch up Celebi and go back to our time while leaving the twerps high and dry," James added.

"And while we're at it we might as well take Pikachu too," Jessie concluded. As they schemed Absol glared at them. His senses were picking up on the negative vibes they were giving off.

"(One Time Travel vortex, coming right up!)" Celebi announced.

"That's our cue to leave!" Ash said.

"And our cue to get ready to snatch," Jessie silently added. With Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon focused on Celebi's Time Travel vortex they had no idea Team Rocket was approaching them, looking to steal Celebi and Pikachu.

"(No you don't!)" Absol growled. He jumped in front of Team Rocket, stopping them in their tracks. Unfortunately by doing so he put himself in range of Celebi's Time Travel vortex.

"(Time travel in 3... 2... 1... here we go!)" In a bright flash Celebi and the others were drawn into the Time Travel vortex on their way back to their own time.

* * *

Just like before it took only a brief moment for Celebi to bring everyone through time. The next thing everyone knew the vortex closed, leaving them in a much different, and very familiar location.

"Alright! We're back in our own time!" Ash cheered.

"It feels so good to be back home!" Nikki shouted. The two trainers and their Pokémon were all glad to be back in their own time, but the celebrating was brought to an abrupt end by a loud growl.

"What was… huh?" Needless to say they were both shocked to see Absol standing behind them, casting an intimidating glare at Team Rocket.

"Absol? What are you doing here?" Ash gasped.

"(These three were up to no good!)" he growled.

"How absurd! How dare you accuse us of such a thing!" Jessie scoffed.

"We weren't up to anything!" James added.

"(Don't lie to me! I could sense your evil intentions!)" Absol barked. Both Ash and Nikki cast accusatory glares at them.

"Not that we need to ask, but is Absol right?" Ash questioned.

"Of course not! Remember our truce?" James reminded them.

"Of course we do. The question is do you?" Nikki retorted.

"What do you…"

"Who cares? We're back in our own time so that truce is null and void!" Meowth announced. "Now let's get that Celebi!"

"Right!" Jessie and James agreed. The three of them charged towards the Time Travel Pokémon, but Absol was quick to cut them off.

"(Stay away from her!)" he barked. In defense of Celebi he quickly formed an orb of dark energy and fired it at the charging trio.

"That's a Shadow Ball!" Nikki shouted. The orb exploded upon impact and sent Team Rocket flying through the air.

"First through time and now through the air! How much traveling are we going to do today?" Jessie griped.

"I'm starting to get travel sick!" James groaned.

"And I'm getting sick of both of you!" Meowth whined.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried.

"Well, that takes care of them for the time being," Ash commented. "Thanks, Absol."

"(You're welcome,)" the Disaster Pokémon replied.

"Well, now that our adventure through time is over I think we should get back to our journey," Nikki announced.

"(In that case I think it's time Absol and I were on our way. No doubt you want to return to your time as well,)" Celebi stated.

"(Of course,)" Absol replied. Though he agreed there was a tinge of sadness in his voice, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"(Alright then. Here we…)"

"Wait!" Ash shouted, stopping Celebi before she could reopen the Time Travel vortex.

"(What is it?)" she wondered. Ash approached Absol and knelt down in front of him.

"Do you really want to go back? Didn't you say you get lonely being the only Pokémon in the forest?" he asked.

"(I get very lonely there, but where else would I go? It's the only place I've ever known,)" he retorted. It didn't take Ash long to come up with an answer.

"Why don't you come with us," he offered.

"That's a pretty good idea," Nikki agreed. "If you come with us you'll never be lonely." This was a bit of a shock to Absol. The offer was tempting, and he would love to accept, but there was one thing that concerned him. Almost as if she knew what was on his mind Celebi nodded.

"(If it's really what you want then go ahead,)" Celebi said. With her blessing Absol looked back at Ash and Nikki.

"(I… accept your offer,)" he acknowledged. With Absol agreeing to join them there was one question that needed to be answered.

"Who's going to catch him?" Ash wondered.

"I think you should. He looks like he'll be a better battler than Contest Pokémon," Nikki said.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked.

"Of course, but this means that the next one is mine," Nikki stated.

"Fair enough," Ash agreed. With that he grabbed an empty Poké Ball and enlarged it.

"Welcome to the family, Absol," he said, tossing the ball in Absol's direction. The ball bounced gently off Absol's head and drew him inside. Te indicator on the front of the ball flashed three times before a 'ping' was heard, signaling a successful capture. Ash walked over to the ball and picked it up.

"Alright! I've got an Absol!" he cheered.

"(Oh yeah!)" Pikachu added. Seconds later the ball began to glow white. Then, it vanished.

"Off to Professor Oak's. I'll have to call him and ask for Absol when we get to the next Pokémon Center," Ash said. "You wouldn't happen to know where one is, would you Celebi?"

"(As a matter of act I do,)" she replied. "(There's one not too far from here in that direction.)" She pointed to the north, the same direction Ash and Nikki were traveling when they first entered the forest.

"Perfect! We were heading that way already," Nikki stated.

"In that case let's get going," Ash declared. After bidding farewell to Celebi Ash and Nikki continued on through the forest. Once they had left Celebi engulfed herself in a ball of green energy and vanished using time travel.

* * *

Not long had passed since Ash, Nikki and Celebi had parted ways. The clearing where they had returned had remained undisturbed, but that soon changed a large helicopter began to descend, landing in the middle of the clearing. Seconds after landing a group of people in white lab coats came pouring out, each one holding a strange device in their hands. They were son followed by a man in a grey leather suit with a crimson "C" on his back.

"Begin the search! Leave no area unchecked!" he ordered. The others saluted him and began combing the area, keeping an eye on the strange devices they had in their hands.

"Sir! I've detected her!" The man in grey approached the one who had called him and looked at the device in his hand.

"How long ago?" he asked.

"According to the scanner not long, maybe half an hour," the other answered. Looking at the scanner both men saw traces of energy flowing in the air.

"Can you pinpoint her location?" the man in grey asked.

"Unfortunately no. She vanished using time travel shortly after arriving in this time period," the second explained. This cause the first man to let out a frustrated growl.

"So Celebi managed to elude us once again," he groaned.

"Sir! I think you should come see this!" another one called. Judging by the urgency in his voice the man in grey assumed it was important. He hurried to his side.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"There appear to be other energy signatures mixed in with Celebi's. I think she was time traveling with a group rather than alone," he explained. This bit of news piqued his interest. They didn't find Celebi, but with any luck they would be able to find those who were traveling with her.

"Can you track them?" he wondered.

"As long as their energy trail remains we can track them wherever they go," he replied.

"Then make sure you do not lose their trail," the man in grey ordered.

"Yes sir." While the man in the white coat continued to trace the energy trails the man in grey took out a small radio.

"Headquarters… Yes… We've found the location, but Celebi is no longer here… We may have a way of finding her… Yes, but I'll need more men… Yes… Understood. Ares, out." The man known as Ares put away his radio and awaited the backup he requested.

"Soon… we'll have what we need… and the world shall bow to our power…"

* * *

Ash and Nikki have finally returned to their own time, with Ash obtaining a new Pokémon along the way. However, their escapades have garnered the attention of a mysterious group. Who are they, and what do they want with Celebi? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	22. Hounds of Team Cerberus

This update comes at the end of a very eventful week for my family and me. Wrestlemania 27 on Sunday, my 30th birthday on Tuesday and my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary on Friday. Yup, pretty busy this week. Anyway, on with the story.

**Chapter 22: Hounds of Team Cerberus**

Just as Celebi had told them Ash and Nikki came across a Pokémon Center a short walk away from where they came back from the future. With their Pokémon needing a good rest and Ash eager to call on his newly caught Absol from Professor Oak's lab the two trainers entered the Center and approached the front desk where Nurse Joy was waiting.

"Could you heal our Pokémon for us?" Nikki asked.

"Of course. It's what I'm here for." With a warm smile Nurse Joy took Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls and placed them in trays.

"You two want to go with her?' Ash asked Pikachu and Buneary.

"(No thanks,)" Pikachu replied.

"(We're fine,)" Buneary added.

"Alright then, I'll have your Pokémon checked up and returned to you shortly," Nurse Joy told them. "In the meantime would you like a room?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Nikki commented. "After all our Pokémon aren't the only ones who need a rest." They accepted Nurse Joy's offer for a room and, after receiving their room key, headed for the trainer rooms while Nurse Joy left to give their Pokémon their examinations.

* * *

Unknown to everyone inside the Pokémon Center the mysterious group from the clearing had made their way to the Pokémon Center and currently had the building surrounded. Among them was Ares, who was with a scientist examining one of their energy reading devices.

"Are they still at the Center?" Ares inquired. The scientist looked at the device.

"According to this they should be. There are no traces of their energy leaving the Center," he replied. After confirming that their targets were still inside Ares took out a radio and relayed the orders to the rest of the group.

"The targets are still inside. On my command storm the Center and secure the targets. If there are any others inside secure them as well," he ordered. With their orders clear the mysterious group waited for the order to move.

* * *

Back inside Ash and Nikki had just gotten their Pokémon back from Nurse Joy and were pleased to hear that everyone was in good health.

"Thank you. That was surprisingly quick," Nikki commented.

"Well, you two are the only ones here. Most trainers go straight through the forest to the town on the other side," Nurse Joy explained. "Because of that I was able to examine your Pokémon and get them back to you that much faster."

"Wow. Guess we got lucky," Nikki commented.

"Guess so," Ash agreed. "In any case I need to contact Professor Oak so I can get Absol sent over." He and Pikachu made their way to the videophones, Nikki and Buneary right behind them. Ash dialed the professor's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hi, professor," Ash greeted once Professor Oak's face appeared on the monitor.

"Hello, Ash. How are things going?" Professor Oak inquired.

"They're going great," Ash replied. "How's Absol doing?"

"He's fine," the professor reported. "I must say he's an incredible Pokémon. Where did you find him?" Ash, Pikachu, Nikki and Buneary glanced back and forth amongst themselves.

"It's a long story," Ash replied. "Do you think you could send him over?"

"Of course. Who will you exchange him for?" Professor Oak questioned.

"I'll send Swellow over," Ash answered. Once Professor Oak was ready on his end Ash sent Swellow's Poké Ball over. Seconds later Absol's was sent to him.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash said.

"You're welcome, Ash. Good luck on the rest of your journey." The call was ended, leaving Ash to reacquaint himself with his newest Pokémon.

"Come on out, Absol!" Ash shouted. He tossed Absol's Poké Ball and watched as the Disaster Pokémon emerged. Once he realized where he was he looked around for Ash, spotting him next to the videophones.

"(You have need of my services?)" Absol wondered.

"Actually, I wanted to take some time to get you familiar with the rest of the group. You're going to be working with them throughout our journey and I thought it would be a good idea if you got to know them all," Ash explained.

"(That sounds good to me,)" Absol commented. As Ash prepared to introduce him to the other Pokémon someone entered the Pokémon Center. At first glance Ash and Nikki could tell he was dressed rather strangely, his long black trench coat hiding his identity from them.

"Excuse me. I was wondering if you could help me," he said.

"Of course. What can I help you with?" Nurse Joy asked. As the stranger spoke to the nurse Absol kept his eyes on him. Something about the stranger seemed to rub the Disaster Pokémon the wrong way.

"I've heard rumors of an ancient shrine of some kind hidden deep within the forest. Would you happen to know where it is?" the stranger inquired.

"A shrine? Let me think…" As Nurse Joy thought about the stranger's question Ash and Nikki spoke amongst themselves.

"You think he's talking about Celebi's shrine?" Nikki wondered.

"He has to be. We didn't come across any other shrine in the forest," Ash said.

"(But then again we weren't really looking for any other shrines,)" Pikachu stated.

"True," Ash agreed.

"(Whether he is or not we should not tell him of the shrine. There's something about him that I don't like,)" Absol warned.

"I'm sorry, but I can't think of any shrine being in the forest," Nurse Joy apologized. The stranger waved his hand, dismissing her apology.

"That's okay. I believe there's someone else here who can answer my question." Shortly after that he approached Ash and Nikki. The two trainers looked at him warily, their Pokémon ready to act at a moment's notice.

"You two wouldn't happen to know where the shrine is, would you?" he asked them. With Absol's warning still fresh in their minds they tried to come up with a convincing lie.

"We didn't pass by any shrine on our way here," Ash lied.

"Nope. Sorry to disappoint you," Nikki added. Then, in a move that surprised them, the stranger started laughing. After a few seconds he addressed them again, this time with a more serious demeanor.

"There's no use lying to me. We know you two were there, along with Celebi," he stated. Ash and Nikki gasped while their Pokémon stared in disbelief.

"H-How did you know?" Nikki stuttered. Before the stranger answered the doors to the Pokémon Center flew open and the mysterious group from earlier poured in. They were all wearing grey full-body suits with crimson "C"s emblazoned on the front. The majority of them surrounded Ash, Nikki and the stranger while the remainder encircled Nurse Joy. Then, the stranger removed his trench coat. He too was wearing the same outfit as the mysterious group, though his was slightly different. The "C" on the front of his outfit was a golden color, and on his shoulders were two gold bars.

"What's going on? Who are you people?" Nurse Joy demanded. One of the men approached the stranger.

"The building is secure, Commander Ares," he announced. Ares nodded and brought his attention back to Ash and Nikki.

"Now, you two will tell me what I need to know," he declared. Ash and Nikki looked around at the large group that had invaded the Pokémon Center. Though they were surrounded they believed they could fight their way through them with Pikachu, Buneary and Absol. Before they could call out any commands Ares snapped his fingers, signaling the others in the group to release their Pokémon. Within seconds they found themselves surrounded by a large pack of Mightyena and Houndoom.

"Resist and we'll be forced to attack," Ares warned. With the odds clearly stacked against them Ash and Nikki reluctantly signaled for their Pokémon to stand down.

"Now, it's time for me to get some answers…"

* * *

Outside the Pokémon Center the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth were lurking nearby. The recent blast off with the help of Absol's Shadow Ball had sent them all the way back to Lunick Town. The return trip was long, but they finally made it back to the forest.

"I'm really getting tired of those twerps," Jessie groaned. "I swear when I get my hands on them…"

"Get in line. We all want a piece of them," Meowth stated.

"What ever happened to 'Ladies first'?" Jessie griped.

"That stuff's only for gentlemen, and I ain't a gentleman," Meowth declared. Before a full-blown argument could erupt James brought something to their attention.

"It seems as though we're not the only ones with business here." He pointed at the Pokémon Center. There were two guards posted at the entrance, each one with a Houndoom by their side.

"You think they're security?" Jessie wondered.

"Perhaps, though I do wonder what's so important that they'd need security for a Pokémon Center," James commented.

"Maybe they've got a legendary Pokémon inside," Meowth assumed.

"Oh, like an Entei, or maybe a Latios!" James stated.

"Whatever it is it's going to be ours soon enough," Jessie declared. With thoughts of Team Rocket success in their minds the trio approached the front of the Pokémon Center, attracting the attention of the two guards.

"Hold it! No one's allowed inside!" one of the guards stated. The two Houndoom growled at them, enforcing their trainers' statements. Jessie simply laughed at their threats.

"You think you two are going to stop us? You obviously have no idea who you're dealing with," she declared. At that moment they proudly went into their motto:

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put you in your place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

As Team Rocket finished the two guards stared at them.

"What was all that?" the first wondered.

"You got me," the second replied. "Maybe they're some kind of comedy act."

"Team Rocket is not some comedy act!" Jessie shouted. "We'll see who's laughing after we're through with you!" With that the trio charged.

"Houndoom, take care of them," the first guard said, waving his hand in Team Rocket's direction. The two Houndoom stepped forward and fired a pair of Shadow Balls at the charging trio. The orbs struck the ground in front of them, sending them flying through the air once again.

"Wah! First it's the twerps and now these clowns!" Jessie whined.

"I wonder… just who were they," James commented.

"Who cares! They're on my 'Trainers-I-don't-like' list!" Jessie declared.

"That list should be miles long by now!" Meowth commented.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they screamed. Shortly after sending Team Rocket on their way one of the guards was contacted through his radio communicator.

"What was all that racket?" The guard grabbed the communicator and replied.

"Nothing to worry about. Just a couple of annoying trainers," he reported.

"Understood." With that the communicator went dead, leaving the guards to resume their duties.

* * *

Back inside Ares had isolated Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy in one of the back rooms. Ash and Nikki had their Pokémon and Poké Balls taken away from them, leaving them completely at the mercy of Ares.

"Now, you will tell me where Celebi has gone," he demanded.

"We're not telling you anything!" Ash declared. Ares smirked.

"I had a feeling you'd say that," he stated. He then took out a Poké Ball and threw it. The ball opened, revealing a Jolteon.

"Now, where has Celebi gone?" Ares asked.

"I told you we're not going to a…AH!" Before Ash could finish his body was struck with a powerful Thunderbolt from Jolteon.

"No, Ash!" Nikki screamed.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Nurse Joy pleaded. After a few seconds Jolteon ceased his attack.

"That was just a warning. Refuse to answer me again and I can assure you it will only get worse," Ares warned. "Now, where is Celebi? Where has she gone?" Ash stood up, still feeling the effects of Jolteon's Thunderbolt.

"I… don't know… and even if I did… I'd never tell you!" he declared. Ares sighed and shook his head.

"Such defiance," he said. "Jolteon." On his command the Lightning Pokémon struck Ash with another Thunderbolt, this one much more intense than his previous. The Pallet Town trainer screamed in pain as his body was fried by the electricity.

"Ash!"

* * *

In another room Pikachu, Buneary and Absol were desperately trying to break out in order to go help their trainers. There was a guard posted right outside the door, which meant they weren't going out that way.

"(We've got to find a way out of here,)" Pikachu said.

"(Couldn't we try and break through the door?)" Buneary suggested.

"(We'd be captured too quickly,)" Absol told her. "(If we are to escape we must find an alternate escape route.)" While they searched for another way out Buneary began to worry about Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy.

"(Do you think… they're okay?)" she wondered. Pikachu walked over and placed a comforting paw on her shoulder.

"(I wouldn't worry about them. Ash has been in some dire situations before and came out perfectly fine. I have no doubt that he'll make sure Nikki and Nurse Joy are safe,)" Pikachu reassured. This made Buneary feel slightly better.

"(Look! Up there!)" Absol barked. Up towards the ceiling, at the top of a stack of boxes, was a small ventilation shaft.

"(We may be able to get out through there!)" Pikachu exclaimed. With a possible way out found Pikachu scrambled to the top of the box stack. Just as he expected the shaft had a cover on it.

"(I'm going to get this cover off and see how far it goes,)" he said.

"(Try to be as quiet as possible or the guard might hear you,)" Absol warned. With a confirming nod Pikachu looked for a way to remove the ventilation shaft cover. He tried pulling on it a few times to see if he could just yank it off, but the covering did not come off.

"(Well that didn't work. Guess I'm going to have to force it off.)" He then powered up an Iron Tail and managed to wedge his tail between the cover and the wall.

"(Okay. Now all I've got to do is apply a little force and… there!)" The cover came off. Pikachu managed to grab it before it fell to the ground and possibly alerted the guard outside. Now that the ventilation shaft was open he took a look inside.

"(What can you see?)" Buneary asked.

"(It's not that long, and if I'm right I think this goes to the hallway outside,)" Pikachu observed. "(There's another cover, though. We'll have to get that off before we can get through.)"

"(If you managed to get this one off I'm sure we can do the same with the other,)" Buneary stated.

"(In that case let us hurry and escape,)" Absol urged. Buneary was the first of them to climb the box stack and join Pikachu at the top, but once she got there she noticed something that could pose a problem.

"(It may just be me, but I think this is too small for Absol to fit,)" she said.

"(What?)" Pikachu looked at the shaft opening once again.

"(Oh man, you're right,)" he groaned. "(Now what are we supposed to do?)"

"(If need be I'll remain here while you two find a way to open the door from the outside,)" Absol suggested. That wasn't an idea Pikachu was a fan of, but given their current situation they really didn't have many other options.

"(Alright. Just make sure to stay hidden until we can get you out of here,)" Pikachu said. Absol nodded and hid in a dark corner of the room. This left Pikachu and Buneary to get out.

"(Come on. Let's go,)" Pikachu said as he went inside the ventilation shaft. Buneary nodded and went to follow him. As she went inside she bumped the cover, knocking off the top of the box stack and down to the floor. A loud clang reverberated throughout the room as it hit the floor.

"What was that noise?"

"_(Oh no! The guard heard them!)"_ Absol panicked. Seconds later the door opened and the guard entered the room.

"What's going… hey! Where did those Pokémon go?" Inside the ventilation shaft Pikachu and Buneary heard the guard's outburst.

"(We've got to work fast!)" the Rabbit Pokémon exclaimed. "(Have you got that cover off yet?)"

"(I'm trying, but there isn't that much space for me to work here,)" Pikachu replied. While he tried to remove the cover the guard continued to look around for them.

"There's no way they got out without me noticing. Just where did they… huh?" As he looked he stepped on the ventilation shaft covering.

"That looks like…" He looked up and saw the ventilation shaft uncovered. Absol's concern grew by leaps and bounds as he watched the guard climb up the box stack.

"_(No! He knows where they are!)" _he exclaimed. Once the guard was high enough he looked inside.

"So that's where you two went," he said. His outburst attracted the attention of Pikachu and Buneary.

"(He found us! Quick, get that cover off!)" Buneary shouted.

"(I'm trying!)" Pikachu responded. He frantically tried to remove the cover, but it was on too tight. Seeing that they were trapped the guard reached in trying to get them out himself.

"(No, get away!)" Buneary screamed. She backed away as far as she could, trying to get away from the guard's outstretched hand. The guard couldn't see inside, but as he felt around inside the shaft he managed to grab Buneary's foot.

"Now I've got you!" he shouted.

"(Buneary!)" Pikachu shouted.

"(Help me!)" Buneary screamed. Pikachu abandoned the shaft covering and grabbed Buneary's hands, trying to pull her free of the guard's grip. Unfortunately for him the guard was much stronger and easily pulled both him and Buneary out of the ventilation shaft. Once he got them both out he grabbed Pikachu's tail. As the Pokémon struggled in his grip the guard glared at them.

"Looks like I'll have to teach you two a lesson," he spat.

"(Not if I can help it!)" Before the guard could react Absol emerged from the shadows and went on the attack, slashing at the guard with Night Slash. The guard avoided contact, but that caused him to lose his balance. As he fell to the ground he lost his grip on Pikachu and Buneary. The two Pokémon landed on the ground next to Absol.

"(Are you two alright?)" Absol wondered.

"(Thanks to you we are,)" Pikachu stated. "(Now that the door's open we can all get out of here.)"

"(But first we should take care of that guy,)" Buneary pointed out as the guard got back to his feet. He glared at the three Pokémon.

"I'm going to make you pay for that!" he yelled. He reached for something on his waist, but Pikachu was quick to react.

"(You're not doing anything!)" he declared. He hit the guard with a Quick Attack, causing him to double over. Buneary then followed that up with Bounce, jumping on the back of the guard's head and driving him to the ground.

"(Come on! Let's go before he gets back up!)" Absol urged. The three of them ran past the downed guard and into the hallway.

"(Hang on, guys! We're coming for you!)" Pikachu declared.

* * *

"No, stop it!" Despite being hit repeatedly by stronger and stronger Thunderbolts from Ares's Jolteon Ash refused to tell Ares anything involving Celebi. Ares, though, was beginning to grow tired of the resistance.

"You are really beginning to try my patience," he stated as he called off his Jolteon's most recent Thunderbolt. Sparks danced over Ash's body from the attack as he fell to the ground, exhausted by his ordeal so far.

"Now… where is Celebi?" Ares demanded. Breathing heavily Ash looked up at Ares, his defiant eyes never wavering.

"I… I'll never tell," he refused. Ares's anger grew with Ash's recent show of defiance.

"Your defiance shall cost you dearly," he stated. Just as he was about to order Jolteon to use Thunderbolt once again a call came through on his communicator. He grabbed the communicator and replied.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"I… I'm sorry, sir! The Pokémon… have escaped!"

"What?" Ares roared. Hearing that Pikachu and the others managed to escape filled Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy with a bit of hope.

"You incompetent fool! How could you let them escape?" Ares chastised. After listening to his subordinate give out his excuse Ares turned off his communicator.

"I can't even trust these idiots to guard three Pokémon!" he yelled. He called Jolteon to his side and left the room. Before leaving he posted a pair of guards at the door.

"If they try to escape make them pay," he instructed. The guards saluted and stood outside the door. With Ares now gone Nikki and Nurse Joy hurried to Ash's side.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Nikki asked. Despite what he just went through he managed to look at her and smile.

"Well… I have been a bit better," he joked.

"What you did was very risky. Why didn't you just lie to him?" Nurse Joy wondered.

"He would have seen right through any lie I told him," Ash explained.

"You think so?" Nikki questioned.

"I'm positive," Ash replied. "Anyway, we should be looking for a way out of here."

"With those guards posted right outside the door I'm sure we won't be going that way," Nikki commented. As soon as she said that the sounds of a battle filled the air.

"What's going on out there?" Nurse Joy wondered. The supposed battle sounded like it was taking place right outside the room. After a few seconds everything went quiet.

"Do you think it's over?" Nikki questioned. Before anyone could answer something started banging on the door. In response to that Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy all backed up to the far side of the room. After a while it stopped. Ash considered approaching the door, but before he could take one step the door exploded, spraying wooden shrapnel all over the room. Ash instantly tried to cover Nikki and Nurse Joy with his body to keep them from being harmed. Once things were clear the three humans looked at what was left of the door.

"What caused that?" Nikki asked.

"No clue," Ash answered. They would get their answer seconds later.

"(Ash! Nikki!)

"Pikachu?" The next thing they knew Pikachu, Buneary and Absol came running into the room. Instantly Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms while Buneary did the same with Nikki.

"(Are you okay?)" Pikachu asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, buddy," Ash replied.

"(I was so worried about you, Nikki!)" Buneary cried.

"I was worried about you, too. I'm so relieved that you're all safe," Nikki stated.

"How did you find us?" Ash wondered.

"(We saw Ares when he left the room and assumed that's where he was keep all of you,)" Pikachu explained. "(Looks like we were right.)"

"(After that it was a simple matter of taking out the two guards and getting into the room,)" Buneary added. "(Pikachu and I took out the guards easily, but it took Absol's Shadow Ball to get through the door.)"

"(Looks like I overdid it a bit,)" the Disaster Pokémon admitted. "(Sorry about that, Nurse Joy)"

"Don't worry about it. If it means we can escape I can overlook it," Nurse Joy stated.

"Speaking of which let's get out of here before Ares gets back," Nikki suggested.

"First things first, we need to find our Poké Balls," Ash declared. "Do you have any idea where they might be, Nurse Joy?"

"They may have stored them in one of the other storage rooms," she said.

"Then that's where we need to look first," Ash decided. The group quickly exited the room and, with Nurse Joy leading them, headed for the other storage rooms.

* * *

So far in their search the group had failed to find Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls, but they still pressed on. Now, though, they had arrived at the final room.

"Do you think they're in there?" Nikki wondered.

"They have to be. They weren't anywhere else, and I doubt if Ares would have posted guards at an empty room," Ash guessed, bringing up the point that there were a pair of guards in front of the door.

"How are we going to get passed them?" Nurse Joy questioned.

"(Just leave them to us,)" Pikachu stated. "(You ready, Buneary?)"

"(You bet,)" the Rabbit Pokémon confirmed. In the blink of an eye the two Pokémon charged the guards.

"Hey, where did you… oof!" Before either could react Pikachu struck the first in the stomach with a Quick Attack while Buneary used Jump Kick, striking the other in the face. Both guards fell to the ground knocked out. With their work done the two Pokémon signaled to Ash and the others that the coast was clear.

"Nice work, you two," Ash praised.

"(It was nothing,)" Pikachu responded. The group quickly entered the room and began searching through the numerous boxes.

"One of them has to have our Poké Balls," Nikki assumed.

"Keep looking. They're in here somewhere," Ash encouraged. Everyone kept rummaging through box after box in search of Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls. Pretty soon they had searched through half of the boxes without finding the Poké Balls.

"Do you think they hid them somewhere else?" Nikki wondered.

"I doubt it. There aren't many places they could have hidden them inside the Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy stated.

"That means they have to be in here. Let's keep looking," Ash said. They continued to sift through the contents of the numerous boxes.

"(I found them!)" Buneary exclaimed. She emerged from one of the boxes carrying two belts filled with Poké Balls.

"Great job, Buneary!" Nikki praised. She gave Ash and Nikki their Poké Balls. Once the two trainers were sure there weren't any Poké Balls missing they fastened their belts around their waists.

"Okay, we got our Poké Balls back! Now we can get out of here and notify Officer Jenny about what's going on here!" Ash stated.

"You won't be going anywhere!" Standing in the door was Ares, his Jolteon by his side. He glared at the group.

"I should have known better than to trust those idiots to guard you while I was gone," he spat. "I shall deal with them later, but first comes the lot of you."

"I don't think so! Now that we've got our Poké Balls back you don't stand a chance!" Ash declared. The very notion that they believed they stood a chance against him amused Ares.

"If you truly believe you stand a chance then by all means… come at me!" he challenged. His Jolteon stood in front of him, waiting for Ash to send his first Pokémon to challenge him. Just as Ash reached for one of his Poké Balls Absol stepped forward.

"(Let me take him,)" he requested. Ash admired Absol's eagerness to battle.

"Alright, let's do this!" Ash shouted. Absol let out a challenging bark as he stared down the Lightning Pokémon.

"Let's start off with X-Scissor!" Ash instructed. The Disaster Pokémon charged his opponent, his forepaws giving off a light blue glow.

"Dodge that!" Ares ordered. Absol slashed at Jolteon in an X-shape, but by the time the attack reached its destination Jolteon was safely out of the way.

"Now use Double Kick!" Ares shouted. With blinding speed Jolteon went on the attack, delivering two powerful kicks to Absol's chest. The Disaster Pokémon was driven backwards, the wind knocked out of him.

"Now finish him with Thunderbolt!" Ares ordered. Before Absol could recover Jolteon flooded his body with thousands of volts of electricity.

"Absol!" Ash shouted upon hearing the pained cries of his Pokémon. Ares called off Jolteon's attack after a while, but by then the damage had already been done. Sparks danced all over Absol's body as the Disaster Pokémon struggled to get to his feet. After trying for a few seconds it was clear that Absol was in no condition to go on.

"Return," Ash said as he recalled Absol back to his Poké Ball.

"Well, are you ready to give up yet?" Ares wondered. Ash glared at Ares as he grabbed another Poké Ball.

"No way! I'm not done yet!" he declared. "I choose you, Bulbasaur!" Ash's Seed Pokémon appeared from his Poké Ball moments later.

"Use Razor Leaf!" Ash instructed.

"Counter with Thunderbolt!" Ares ordered. Bulbasaur fired off a Razor Leaf volley, but Jolteon easily cut through it with his Thunderbolt.

"Now use Pin Missile!" Ares shouted. Once the Razor Leaf was dealt with Jolteon fired a Pin Missile volley. The super effective attack struck Bulbasaur, striking the Seed Pokémon and causing a great deal of damage.

"Now hit him with Thunderbolt!" Bulbasaur barely had time to recover before being struck with a massive Thunderbolt. The Electric attack fried Bulbasaur, causing even more damage.

"I don't get it. I thought Electric type attacks didn't do that much damage to Grass type Pokémon," Nikki said.

"They normally don't, but the damage Bulbasaur took from that Pin Missile made him more vulnerable to Jolteon's Electric attacks than he'd normally be," Nurse Joy explained.

"Oh no!" Nikki gasped. Seeing how badly beaten Bulbasaur looked filled Ares with great pleasure.

"Ready to quit now?" he asked.

"Not by a longshot!" Ash refused. "Bulbasaur can keep going! Right, Bulbasaur?"

"(You bet I can!)" the Seed Pokémon declared.

"Is that so? Well then Jolteon will be more than happy to play with you a bit longer," Ares said. The Lightning Pokémon approached Bulbasaur, a cocky smirk on his face.

"(I'll make short work of you, and then you trainer and his friends will be next,)" he spat. This sent a wave of anger through Bulbasaur.

"(There's no way I'm going to let you or your trainer harm them!)" he declared. At that moment he felt a surge of power building up inside of him. It was something he had felt once before. Back then he rejected the power, but this time was different. Unlike then he was ready this time.

"(Time to get busy!)" he yelled. Right then his body became engulfed in a bright white light.

"N-No way!" Ash gasped.

"Bulbasaur's evolving!" Nikki said. Bulbasaur's body grew in size. His bulb grew larger and sprouted leaves at the base. When the light faded Bulbasaur had become an Ivysaur.

"Alright, you've evolved into Ivysaur!" Ash cheered. Though it was not something he was expecting Ares didn't appear too concerned with Bulbasaur's evolution.

"Evolved or not, you shall not win!" he declared. "Double Kick!" Jolteon jumped at Ivysaur, his hind legs ready to deliver two powerful kicks.

"Grab him with Vine Whip!" Ash instructed. Reacting fast two vines shot from Ivysaur's bulb and wrapped around Jolteon's legs. Ivysaur slung Jolteon into the wall and then slammed him down on the floor, stunning him.

"Now use Razor Leaf!" Ash instructed. Without giving Jolteon time to recover Ivysaur assaulted him with a Razor Leaf volley, the razor sharp leaves bombarding his body.

"Now finish up with Vine Whip!" Ash shouted. With a loud battle cry Ivysaur struck Jolteon with one final Vine Whip, slapping him across his face and knocking him down at Ares's feet.

"Alright! That's the way!" Ash cheered. While he celebrated his victory Ares glared at them. The fact that he had lost the battle infuriated him, and though he wanted nothing more than to teach Ash a lesson the mission had taken far longer than he had anticipated. He recalled his defeated Pokémon.

"Don't think this is over! We shall meet again, and I will have my revenge!" he declared. He grabbed his communicator and relayed new orders.

"All troops, fall back!" he ordered. After giving those orders he left the room.

"Hey, get back here!" Ash started to follow him but Nikki stopped him.

"Hold it, Ash! We need to take care of our Pokémon first!" she said. Right then Ash remembered that Ivysaur had just finished a difficult battle and Absol was in bad shape after his battle with Ares's Jolteon.

"You're right. Guess we'll have to let them go for now," he sighed.

"I'll notify Officer Jenny about what happened here," Nurse Joy said.

"That's a good idea," Ash commented. After Ash returned Ivysaur to his Poké Ball the three of them headed to the Pokémon Center's main lobby.

* * *

Ares sat in the helicopter as it fled the forest. He was disgusted for not only failing his mission but also for allowing himself to be defeated by a trainer he felt was beneath him. The more he thought about it the more disgusted he became.

"That trainer… I'll remember him, and the next time we meet I'll be sure to make him pay for embarrassing me like that," he swore.

"Sir, we've received a call from HQ," the pilot informed him. He handed Ares the communicator. Ares sighed as he took the communicator.

"Ares here… No, we were unable to complete the mission… Understood. Ares, out." He gave the communicator back to the pilot.

"Orders, sir?" the pilot inquired.

"Return to HQ," Ares instructed. The pilot nodded in confirmation and directed the helicopter in the direction of their HQ.

* * *

It was much later in the day when Officer Jenny arrived. By then things at the Pokémon Center had quieted down, allowing them to give Officer Jenny an accurate account of what happened.

"Now you said it was a large group, correct?" Officer Jenny inquired as she listened to Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy retell the events of earlier.

"That's right," Nikki confirmed. "I can't remember how many there were, but they all wore these white uniforms with a red 'C' on them." That last part got Officer Jenny's attention.

"Did you say a red 'C'?" she asked.

"Yeah. As far as we could tell all of them had red 'C's on their uniforms," Nikki said. Officer Jenny brought a hand to her chin.

"So they've begun operations here too," she mused.

"Who has?" Ash wondered.

"Team Cerberus," Officer Jenny replied.

"Team Cerberus? Who are they?" Ash inquired.

"A group of radicals that want to use Pokémon to bring down the various governments around the world," Officer Jenny explained. "Their methods are very extreme. They don't care who gets hurt as long as they accomplish their goals."

"You don't have to tell us twice," Ash grumbled, recalling his battle against Ares earlier.

"In any case I need to get the word out that Team Cerberus is operating in this area," Officer Jenny said. After receiving thanks from Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy Officer Jenny left to go file her report. Unknown to any of them, though, the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth had overheard their conversation.

"Seems we have some competition," Jessie commented.

"The Boss will want to know of this," James said. His comrades agreed with him as they quietly snuck away from the Pokémon Center.

* * *

"Sir, you have received a call from the Legenda region."

"Put it through," Giovanni instructed. His monitor lit up with a video of Jessie, James and Meowth.

"What do you have to report?" Giovanni inquired.

"Sir, it has come to our attention that there is another organization within the Legenda region," Jessie reported.

"They go by the name Team Cerberus and clearly have a vested interest in the powerful Pokémon found here in Legenda," James added. Though Giovanni already knew of Team Cerberus's existence the fact that Jessie, James and Meowth had already encountered them meant that he'd have a way to discover their motives.

"I have a new assignment for you," Giovanni announced. "I want you three to find out all you can about this Team Cerberus and report it back to HQ."

"Sir!" the three of them replied. The call was ended, leaving the trio with a new assignment and a new sense of pride.

"The Boss is really putting a lot of trust in us," James commented.

"Clearly he's beginning to see our true potential," Jessie boasted.

"Then let's not let his trust be misplaced," Meowth advised. The fact that Giovanni was trusting them with a new assignment filled them with determination as they looked to carry out their new mission.

* * *

"Look, there's Carnation Town!" After leaving the Pokémon Center and traversing through the rest of the forest Ash and Nikki finally arrived at Carnation Town.

"Time for me to win my first ribbon," Nikki stated.

"Feeling confident?" Ash asked.

"You bet! There's no way we're leaving without that ribbon!" Nikki declared.

"(That's the spirit!)" Pikachu commented.

"With that enthusiasm that ribbon's as good as yours," Ash said.

"Yeah," Nikki agreed. "You ready to win, Buneary?"

"(You bet!)" she replied. With Nikki ready for her second Pokémon Contest the group headed into town so Nikki could register.

* * *

Ash and Nikki finally arrived in Carnation Town, but not without incident as they had their first encounter with the evil Team Cerberus. Will that be their only encounter, or will Ares make good on his promise to get revenge on Ash? And what of Nikki's second attempt at her first ribbon? Will she succeed? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	23. A Second Chance at Victory

**Chapter 23: A Second Chance at Victory**

"The blooming flowers and their lovely scent can only mean one thing… it's time for the Carnation Town Pokémon Contest!" The crowd erupted in cheer as they anticipated the beginning of the Pokémon Contest.

"Many talented coordinators and their Pokémon have come here to show off their skills, all in an attempt to walk away with this, the Carnation Town ribbon!" Christy announced. She held up the ribbon. The pendant was gold and had a flower engraved in the center, and the ribbons were green with yellow trim.

"What talented team will walk away with the coveted Carnation Town ribbon? We'll know by the end of the day! So stick around!" Christy said. The crowd once again erupted in cheers. Backstage the coordinators prepared to go out on stage and put on their best performances. Nikki, however, was feeling a bit nervous.

"Oh man… I hope I can pull this off," Nikki commented.

"What's wrong, Nikki? Feeling a bit nervous?" Ash wondered.

"Try a lot nervous," Nikki corrected. "Thanks to everything that's happened recently I didn't get any time to work on new Contest moves and strategies. I'm coming into this Contest totally unprepared."

"(That does sound like a problem,)" Pikachu commented.

"I don't know if I can pull off a win here," Nikki worried.

"Well I know you can. All you have to do is believe in yourself and your Pokémon," Ash encouraged.

"A very true statement if I've ever heard one." Turning around Ash and Nikki came face-to-face with Maxwell.

"Maxwell! I didn't know you were competing in this Contest too!" Nikki exclaimed.

"Yes. If I am to become as great a coordinator as I can I must compete in as many as I can so I can qualify for the grand Festival," Maxwell explained. "Of course I'm sure you are here for the same reason."

"After losing in my Contest debut I need to try and bounce back, but without time to come up with a good appeal and battle strategy I don't think I can win," Nikki commented. Ash was quick to encourage her.

"I know you'll do fine, even without time to practice," he said. "Just go out there and do the best you can." Nikki looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"You think that'll be good enough?" she wondered.

"I know it will," Ash replied.

"I agree. With you skills I'm confident you'll make it to the battle rounds," Maxwell added.

"Thanks, you guys," Nikki said with a smile, appreciative of their support. "I promise that I'll do everything I can to make it to the final stage."

"In that case I shall see you there." After wishing Nikki good luck Maxwell left to make his final preparations.

"That you will, Maxwell. That you will," Nikki stated.

* * *

The Contest got underway with many promising coordinators and their Pokémon putting on grand performances. After a few performances it was Jessie's turn. She ran out in her Lady Jessica alter-ego, soaking up the applause she was getting from the audience.

"Thank you, thank you! I deserve this and more from my fans!" she gushed. "And now… it's time for the show! Magcargo! Seviper! Out you come!" Her Poké Balls opened and spewed forth a cloud of black and purple smoke. From within the dual colored smoke cloud Seviper lunged forward, his fangs bared. While the crowd was getting over the shock of that move a loud bellow filled the air as Magcargo used his flames to blow away the smoke cloud.

"Now that was an impressive entrance!" Christy commented.

"Oh, I'm just getting started," Jessie said. "Now, into your shell!" On her command Magcargo withdrew into his shell.

"Now knock him into the air with your tail, Seviper!" she instructed. Seviper struck the base of Magcargo's shell with his tail, sending the Lava Pokémon up in the air. As he spun in the air Seviper kept a close eye on him. Then, as Magcargo began to descend, Seviper raised his tail into the air. The crowd watched in awe as Seviper caught Magcargo and balanced him perfectly on the tip of his tail.

"Now that's a perfectly balanced team," Christy commented.

"And now for a Flamethrower spin-cycle!" Jessie said. While still balancing himself on Seviper's tail, and while still inside his shell, Magcargo fired a Flamethrower that made him start spinning like a top.

"Now toss him, Seviper!" Jessie instructed. With a powerful flick of his tail Seviper sent Magcargo into the air. Once he reached his highest point Magcargo increased the intensity of his Flamethrower. Eventually the attack grew powerful enough to keep the Lava Pokémon suspended in the air.

"Wow! Magcargo looks just like a flaming UFO up there!" Christy said. "Let's hear what our judges have to say."

"The teamwork between Seviper and Magcargo was very good," Mr. Contesta commented.

"It was remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo added.

"The way Lady Jessica had Magcargo use his Flamethrower was like nothing I've ever seen before," Nurse Joy said. In the crowd James and Meowth liked what they saw.

"She got them eating out of the palm of her hand," Meowth commented.

"That's our girl," James praised. With Jessie's appeal over Christy was ready to keep the Contest going.

* * *

"And now, please welcome Nikki!" Christy announced.

"Alright! It's finally Nikki's turn!" Ash cheered. The crowd cheered as Nikki ran out onto the stage, a Poké Ball in each hand.

"Swablu! Shinx! The stage is yours!" She tossed the two Poké Balls and watched as they opened, releasing a flurry of pink and red flower petals. The petals gathered down on the floor and soon materialized into Swablu and Shinx.

"_We didn't have time to work on a routine, but here's hoping that we can put something together here and now,"_ Nikki hoped. "Alright, Swablu! Let's start off with Dragon Pulse!"

"(Coming right up!)" Swablu replied. She aimed straight up and fired a Dragon Pulse.

"Now hit it with Charge Beam, Shinx!" Nikki instructed. As the blue orb continued to ascend Shinx shot it with her Charge Beam. The Electric attack gave the Dragon Pulse a slight yellow glow while holding it in place.

"Now use Featherdance while circling around the Charge Beam!" Nikki said. Swablu began to fly up towards the Dragon Pulse orb, circling the Charge beam on her way up while the golden sparkles from Featherdance trailed behind her. Nikki watched as Swablu got closer to the orb, waiting for the right time to put on the finishing touches.

"Okay! Use Spark!" she shouted. Using the Charge Beam as a makeshift pathway Shinx use Spark to shoot up towards the Dragon Pulse. Both she and Swablu arrived at the same time as Shinx's Spark caused the Dragon Pulse to explode, showering both Shinx and Swablu in golden sparkles. As the two Pokémon descended back down to the ground Nikki awaited the judges' comments.

"What a beautiful display!" Nurse Joy commented.

"Yes! Remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo added.

"Shinx and Swablu were in perfect sync, and it showed with how well their attacks complimented each other," Mr. Contesta. Hearing those comments Nikki was confident that she would be heading to the next round.

* * *

The Contest continued on with each coordinator putting on spectacular performances. The final contestant of the round was Maxwell. He stood in the middle of the stage, a Poké Ball in each hand.

"Abra, Tyrogue! Time to dazzle them!" The two balls opened and produced a pair of fireballs. The fireballs hit the ground and exploded, revealing Maxwell's two Pokémon.

"Start with Energy Ball, Abra!" Maxwell instructed. On his command the Psi Pokémon produced an Energy Ball.

"Now stabilize it with Psychic!" Maxwell said. As the Energy Ball floated in the air Abra used Psychic on it. The ball took on a bluish glow.

"Now hop on, Tyrogue!" Maxwell said.

"(Keep that Energy Ball stable for me,)" Tyrogue said.

"(Just make sure not to miss,)" Abra warned. Trusting his partner Tyrogue jumped up onto the Energy Ball. The crowd expected the ball to explode, but were shocked when Tyrogue landed perfectly on top of it.

"Incredible! Tyrogue managed to land perfectly on top of the Energy Ball without making it explode!" Christy gasped.

"We're just getting started," Maxwell announced. "Now, use Reflect!" While still using Psychic to stabilize the Energy Ball Abra created four Reflect shields.

"You know what to do now!" Indeed Abra did as he set the Reflect barriers in motion, making them rotate around Tyrogue.

"I wonder what they have in store for us next?" Christy wondered.

"Allow me to show you. Brick Break!" Showcasing incredible speed and accuracy Tyrogue managed to strike and shatter every Reflect barrier floating around him. What was even more incredible was the fact that he managed to do this without losing his balance. He remained on top of the floating Energy Ball the entire time.

"And now for the finale," Maxwell called. Knowing what to do Tyrogue jumped off the Energy Ball, flipping through the air. As soon as he landed Abra used his Psychic to detonate the Energy Ball sending a green wave of energy pulsing overhead.

"Incredible! I don't know what else to say!" Nurse Joy gasped.

"I do, and that's remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo added.

"Tyrogue's accuracy and balance combined with Abra's impressive psychic abilities created a performance I won't soon forget," Mr. Contesta praised.

"And with that stunning performance we've come to the end of the first round! Stick around to see what four coordinators will advance to the next round!" Christy announced.

* * *

During the break Ash and Pikachu decided to head backstage to see how Nikki was doing. When they arrived they found her praising her Pokémon for their outstanding perforance.

"I am so proud of you two. That was an outstanding performance you put on," Nikki praised.

"(Aw, it was nothing. We just wanted to make you proud,)" Shinx said.

"Well you did, especially you, Swablu. You did great considering that we didn't have much time to practice before this contest," Nikki said.

"(Thank you, Nikki,)" Swablu said. "(I have to admit I was a bit nervous.)"

"(I know what you mean. I get nervous before going out on stage as well,)" Buneary admitted.

"(How do you deal with it?)" Swablu asked.

"(Well, whenever I start to get nervous I just tell myself that I won't be alone out there and all I have to do is my best,)" Buneary told her. "(That helps take some of the pressure of myself and lets me be a bit more relaxed out there.)"

"I see. What about you, Shinx?)" Swablu inquired.

"(Pretty much the same thing as Buneary. I tell myself that all I can do is my best, and what I can't do I'll leave up to Nikki and my partner,)" Shinx replied.

"Don't worry, Swablu. Over time competing in Pokémon Contests will become second nature to you," Nikki stated.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have determined the four talented coordinators that will be moving on to the next round!" Upon hearing that announcement everyone's eyes became glued to the TV monitors.

"The first coordinator to make it out of the first round is… Serena!" An image of a young girl appeared on the screen.

"No surprise there," Nikki commented. Earlier Serena had put on a performance that was nothing short of a masterpiece.

"The second coordinator is… Maxwell!" Maxwell's image appeared right next to Serena's.

"The third coordinator is… Nikki!"

"Alright! I made it!" Nikki cheered as her image was put up.

"I never doubted you," Ash stated.

"And for our final coordinator… it's Lady Jessica!" In the stands James and Meowth let out sighs of relief upon hearing that Jessie had made it out of the first round.

"And now let's set the pairings for the first battle round!" The images were concealed and shuffled. Once the shuffling was over the matchups for the first round of battles was determined.

"Wha?" Ash gasped.

"(N-No way!)" Pikachu stuttered.

"It can't be," Nikki said.

"Well, it appears we'll be having our battle sooner than expected." Turning around they came face-to-face with Maxwell, Nikki's opponent.

"I had hoped to face you on the final stage, but alas Fate had other plans," he stated.

"Guess so," Nikki agreed.

"Still, we should put on a performance worthy of the final stage," he continued.

"Yeah," Nikki agreed. Ash and the Pokémon could tell Nikki was feeling a bit nervous about having to face Maxwell in the first round, and Swablu was the one it affected the most. Looking into her eyes anyone could see she was as nervous as a long-tailed Persian in a room full of rocking chairs.

"Okay! It's time for the first battle!" Christy announced.

"That's our cue," Maxwell stated. After wishing Nikki good luck he left to head for the stage. Nikki just watched him leave, but once he was gone she clenched her fists.

"No sweat. We can take him this time," she declared.

"You sound confident," Ash commented.

"Why shouldn't I be? Based on his performance earlier it doesn't look like he has a new Pokémon, which means I've got an advantage over him," Nikki explained. She then glanced down at Swablu and Buneary.

"You two ready to go win this?" she asked.

"(Yeah!)" Buneary excitedly declared.

"(I'll do what I can,)" Swablu said.

"That's all I ask," Nikki told her.

"Good luck out there," Ash wished. Nikki waved as she, Buneary and Swablu headed for the stage. Ash and Pikachu then headed back to the stands, but along the way Pikachu had some concerns about Nikki's upcoming battle.

"(Do you think she has a chance?)" the Mouse Pokémon wondered.

"Only if she doesn't underestimate her opponent," Ash answered. "Unfortunately that's exactly what she's doing. I think Maxwell may be hiding something."

"(Like a new Pokémon?)" Pikachu assumed.

"Perhaps," Ash confirmed. "We'll just have to wait and see, buddy."

* * *

"Alright, it's time for our first battle!" Christy announced. "To my right we have Maxwell, and to my left we have Nikki!" The crowd cheered as the coordinators were introduced. Ash and Pikachu watched from their seats, each hoping that Nikki would emerge victorious.

"Now, let's have 5 minutes on the clock! And… begin!"

"Buneary, Swablu, the stage is yours!" Nikki called as she tossed her Poké Balls out. The opened and released a barrage of swirling hearts. The hearts gathered in front of her and dispersed to reveal Buneary and Swablu.

"It's time to dazzle them, Abra and Pachirisu!" Maxwell said.

"Pachirisu? He has a new Pokémon?" Nikki gasped. She got her answer when Maxwell tossed out his Poké Balls. They opened and released twin bolts of lightning. The bolts struck the stage and cast a blinding light throughout the Contest Hall. When the light died down Maxwell's Abra was revealed, striking his battle pose. His Pachirisu was next as the small white squirrel-like Pokémon balanced himself on his tail in a cute pose that captured the crowds' heart.

"And Maxwell's Pachirisu turns on the charm early!" Christy commented.

"_I wasn't expecting him to have a new Pokémon. Still, I won't let that stop us!"_ Nikki mused. "Buneary, use Charm and Swablu, use Featherdance!" Trying to use her natural charm to her advantage Buneary blew a kiss at Abra and Pachirisu, sending out a flurry of pink hearts. To add to the appeal Swablu gently flapped her wings and mixed in the sparkling particles of her Featherdance. However, Maxwell didn't look concerned with the combination, and Nikki would soon find out why.

"Send it back with Psychic, Abra!" he instructed. Abra's Psychic took center stage as he used it to take control of the Charm/Featherdance combo, sending it back at Buneary and Swablu. The combo attack swirled around them, sapping their strength and taking some of Nikki's points in the process.

"And Maxwell addresses that as 'Return to sender' with a well-timed counter!" Christy commented.

"We've got to bounce back from this," Nikki said. "Alright, let's get back on track!" Buneary was the first to shake off the effects of the last attack, but Swablu was still shaken up.

"(Come on, Swablu! Get your head back in the game!)" Buneary called.

"_I see… that Swablu of hers must not have much Contest experience,"_ Maxwell observed. "Pachirisu, Discharge!"

"(Coming right up!)" Pachirisu replied. Twirling in the air he fired a barrage of blue electric bolts at Swablu. Buneary saw the attack coming, but Swablu was still too shaken up to notice.

"(Watch out!)" the Rabbit Pokémon shouted as she shoved the Cotton Bird Pokémon out of the way. Unfortunately that left her right in the attack's path. She was hit hard by Discharge, causing Nikki's points to fall even further.

"Oh man! They're getting creamed out there!" Ash groaned.

"(No kidding,)" Pikachu agreed. Once the attack was over Swablu was at Buneary's side.

"(Are you okay?)" she asked.

"(Y-Yeah… I'm okay,)" Buneary replied, though it was clear that Discharge had done its damage.

"Now charge them, Pachirisu!" Maxwell called. On his command Pachirisu charged towards Buneary and Swablu. With Buneary weakened by Discharge Swablu decided to try and take Pachirisu on herself.

"Use Dragon Pulse!" Nikki instructed. Swablu quickly charged up her Dragon Pulse and fired.

"Dodge that and then use Protect!" Maxwell instructed.

"Huh? Why call for Protect if you're just going to dodge?" Nikki wondered. She got her answer after Pachirisu successfully dodged Dragon Pulse and ran up to Buneary and Swablu. Once he reached them he put up his Protect shield, encasing all three of them in a green dome.

"Now why would Maxwell do that?" Christy wondered.

"Discharge!" Maxwell shouted. By then it was too late to do anything. With Buneary and Swablu trapped inside Pachirisu's Protect there was no way they could avoid Discharge. The Electric attack struck them at point-blank range, damaging them with strong electric currents. When the attack was over Pachirisu let the Protect shield fall. Buneary and Swablu were practically out on their feet while Nikki's points had now been reduced to well under one-third of her total.

"Now that's what I call innovation!" Christy commented. "Who knew you could use Protect in that manner." By now it was clear that the only way for Nikki to win was for her to hit one huge desperation attack, but with Buneary and Swablu's current condition that was easier said than done.

"They can't keep going much longer. What am I supposed to do now?" she panicked.

"I hate to say this, Pikachu, but I don't think Nikki has a shot at winning anymore," Ash sighed.

"(I know. Maxwell's combinations are too much for her to overcome,)" Pikachu commented.

"Pachirisu, use Attract!" Maxwell said. Pachirisu struck a cute pose and winked at Buneary and Swablu, sending pink heart-shaped rings at them. The rings made contact and put the two female Pokémon in a stated of love-filled admiration.

"(Wow! Pachirisu is so dreamy!)" Buneary gushed.

"(He's perfect!)" Swablu added.

"Buneary! Swablu! Snap out of it, you two!" Nikki shouted, but it was no use. Because of Attract they both saw Pachirisu as the object of all their affection.

"And now to finish this," Maxwell declared. "Psychic!" Again Abra showed off the power of Psychic, using it to lift both Buneary and Swablu into the air before slamming them down to the ground.

"No!" Nikki screamed. Upon closer inspection of her Pokémon it was clear they had been knocked out. Immediately all three judges' panels displayed Xs to signal the end of the battle.

"That's it! Nikki's Pokémon can no longer continue, which means that Maxwell is moving on to the final stage!" Christy announced. The crowd cheered as Maxwell thanked his Pokémon for a job well done. Nikki, on the other hand, was kneeling down next to her Pokémon, who had just recovered.

"Are you two alright?" she inquired.

"(Not really,)" Buneary sighed, her voice laced with disappointment.

"(We failed you, Nikki. We're sorry,)" Swablu apologized. Nikki felt horrible, not because she had lost the battle, but because her Pokémon felt that the loss was their fault. She picked both Pokémon up and embraced them.

"You two did everything you could, and I couldn't be prouder," she told them. Though she did her best to console them she herself was on the verge of tears, something Ash and Pikachu noticed from the stands.

"(Poor Nikki,)" Pikachu said.

"Come on. We need to be there for her," Ash commented. The two of them left the stands and made their way back to the coordinators' waiting room to give Nikki the support they knew she would need right now.

* * *

When Ash and Pikachu arrived in the waiting room they found Nikki sitting in one of the chairs, Buneary and Swablu at her feet. She had changed back to her normal clothes, but what caught their attention was the disappointed expression on her face.

"You okay?" Ash asked.

"No, not really," Nikki sighed.

"(I'm sorry. If I hadn't choked out there you'd be on the final stage right now,)" Swablu said.

"No, Swablu. If anything I should be apologizing to you for sending you out there without making sure you were prepared," Nikki countered.

"I don't think this is the time to accept any sort of blame. You all were amazing out there," Ash said.

"Then why didn't we win?" Nikki argued. Ash didn't have an answer for her question. As good as he believed Nikki was he had no answer for the reason she was defeated again.

"We're down to our final 30 seconds! If Maxwell plans on winning he needs to find a way to counter Serena's overwhelming combinations!" On the screen Ash and Nikki saw Maxwell and Serena in the closing seconds of their battle. After Maxwell defeated Nikki Serena proceeded to dominate Jessie, setting up the final battle. With 30 seconds to go Maxwell's points were just under half while Serena had yet to lose any of her points.

"Pachirisu, Discharge! Abra, Psychic!" Maxwell instructed. Pachirisu fired his Discharge while Abra used Psychic to take control of the Electric attack. Abra made the attack swirl around Serena's Pokémon, a Milotic and an Eevee. Serena, though, was very calm.

"Aqua Ring, please," she requested. With a melodic cry Milotic called for rings of water to surround herself and Eevee. The rings created a shield between the two of them and the Discharge, protecting them from the powerful Electric attack. Everytime Abra tried to strike them the Aqua Ring blocked the attack, each unsuccessful attack taking points away from Maxwell.

"And once again Serena finds a perfect counter for Maxwell's offense!" Christy commented. As the attacks continued a buzzer went off, signaling the end of the battle.

"Time! Now let's see who has the most points!" In Maxwell's eyes there was no need, for he already knew the outcome.

"And with all of her points still on the board the winner of the Carnation Town Pokémon Contest is Serena!" Christy announced. The crowd applauded the victor as she waved to them. At the same time Maxwell approached his disappointed Pokémon.

"(Forgive us, Maxwell. We were unable to win,)" Abra apologized.

"(Yeah. Sorry,)" Pachirisu added. Maxwell smiled as he looked at them.

"No need to feel sorry, my friends. You were both brilliant out there," he said. In the waiting room Ash and Nikki couldn't believe what they just saw.

"Maxwell couldn't do anything against her," Ash commented.

"(She must be real good,)" Pikachu added. Nikki just stared at the screen as Serena continued to celebrate her victory.

"_I can't beat Maxwell, yet she just made beating him look easy,"_ she thought. At that moment she began to wonder what would happen if she ever faced Serena. Could she beat her, or would she just be another easy win like Maxwell was?

* * *

Later that day Ash and Nikki decided to head to the Pokémon Center so Nurse Joy could examine Nikki's Pokémon. During this time Nikki thought about what she could have done differently.

"Maybe if I had used Shinx instead of Swablu in the battle round I would have won," she said. "What do you think, Ash?"

"Well, there's really no telling how things would have turned out. You may have won, but then again it might have ended the same way. All you can do is make sure you're prepared for the next time," Ash explained.

"I suppose you're right," Nikki agreed. Right then the chime went off inside the Pokémon Center. Seconds later Nurse Joy approached them with Buneary and Shinx and Swablu's Poké Balls.

"Your Pokémon are back to full health," she told them.

"Thank you," Nikki said. She took Shinx and Swablu's Poké Balls and let Buneary hop onto her shoulder.

"Well, where to next?" Ash asked.

"Well, there aren't any nearby Pokémon Contests, but I know that there's a Gym in Treetop Town," Nikki said.

"Then Treetop Town is our next stop!" Ash declared. Just as he and Nikki were preparing to leave Maxwell walked in. Upon seeing Nikki he smiled.

"Greetings. I had no idea we'd be meeting here," he said.

"Hi, Maxwell," Nikki greeted. "I'm sorry you lost the Contest earlier." Maxwell simply waved his hand.

"Think nothing of it. It just lets me know I have much more to learn," he explained. "So, where are you off to now?"

"Treetop Town. There's a Gym there for Ash to challenge," Nikki told him.

"I see. I hope you win," Maxwell said.

"Thanks," Ash replied. "Good luck in your next Contest." After Maxwell thanked him for his good wishes Ash and Nikki left the Pokémon Center. Once they were gone Maxwell continued on to the front desk, where he handed Nurse Joy his Poké Balls.

"I'll have them checked up and back to you shortly," she stated. She then headed to the back, leaving Maxwell alone with his thoughts.

"My dear Nikki… though it upsets me that you once again tasted defeat at my hands, know that I do this for you. Know that I do this to prove myself worthy of you, for the day I win the Legenda Grand Festival will be the day I win your heart," he declared.

* * *

Nikki's second attempt at winning her first ribbon ended in a second defeat. With two defeats to start her Contest career what will Nikki have to do to turn her luck around? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	24. Six Tails to a Story

**Chapter 24: Six Tails to a Story**

After departing from Carnation Town Ash and Nikki looked forward to the next stop on their journey, Treetop Town, where Ash would try to win his second Legenda League Gym badge. As they walked, and with Nikki's defeat in the Carnation Town Pokémon Contest still fresh in their minds, the two trainers were discussing possible strategies for Nikki's next Contest.

"You know, maybe if I could perfect some more combinations before my Contest I could do better," Nikki said.

"Sounds good to me. You know what they say, 'Practice makes perfect'," Ash said.

"(That's right, and we'll be there to help you practice,)" Pikachu added. Nikki looked to the two of them and smiled.

"Thanks you guys," she said. "With your help I can see a bright future as a coordinator ahead of me!"

"(I'm glad you see something, because I sure don't!)" Buneary stated. As they were talking a thick blanket of fog had rolled in, completely obscuring their vision.

"Where did this fog come from?" Nikki wondered.

"I don't know," Ash replied. "You'd better stick close to me so we don't get separated. Better yet let's join hands to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Good idea," Nikki agreed. The two of them joined hands and continued on through the fog. At certain points it grew so thick they could barely see a few inches in front of them.

"This is getting a bit dangerous. Do you think we should stop and wait for the fog to lift?" Nikki suggested.

"There's no telling how long that would take," Ash replied. "I say we keep going but be careful about where you step. One misstep could mean trou-AH!" Ash suddenly found himself falling down. Unfortunately because he was holding Nikki's hand she was in danger of being pulled down with him.

"(Whoa!)" Buneary cried as she tried desperately to keep from falling off Nikki's shoulder. As she hung on to Nikki's shirt sleeve the fog cleared a bit, revealing that Ash had stepped off a cliff. Nikki had thankfully fallen on solid ground, preventing them from falling further. Looking down the fog still hid the bottom, leaving them to wonder how far down the cliff reached.

"Hang on, Ash!" Nikki called.

"I'm… trying!" Ash grunted. He looked around to see if there was anything he could grab onto to help pull himself back up, but there was nothing. Pikachu hung onto Ash's backpack, desperate to keep from falling himself. As he glanced up he saw Buneary hanging onto Nikki.

"(Don't let go!)" Pikachu called.

"(Easier said than do-OONE!)" Everything began to move in slow motion as Pikachu saw Buneary lose her grip and begin to fall.

"Buneary!" Nikki cried. Acting faster than he thought possible Pikachu sprang off of Ash's backpack using Quick Attack and shot up towards Buneary, grabbing her as he ascended. Then, using the momentum from Quick Attack, he carried Buneary and himself safely up to solid ground.

"(Are you okay?)" Pikachu asked.

"(Y-Yeah. Thanks for saving me,)" Buneary said. Both Pokémon were relieved to be out of danger, but their relief soon turned to concern when they realized their trainers were still in danger. Their concern grew when they saw the cliff start to give way beneath Nikki.

"(Nikki!)" Buneary cried.

"(Hold on! We're coming to help!)" Pikachu shouted. Before either Pokémon could make a move Nikki called them off.

"No! Stay back!" she ordered.

"(But… the cliff…)" Buneary protested.

"(It could give way any second!)" Pikachu argued.

"And that's why we don't want you two getting too close!" Nikki stated. As she struggled to pull Ash back up the Pallet Town trainer knew she needed help. He grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it to the top of the cliff.

"Ivysaur, help us!" he shouted. The Seed Pokémon appeared from his Poké Ball moments later. Just as Ash was about to call out a command the cliff gave way, sending him and Nikki plunging into the fog.

"(No!)" Buneary screamed. Just when it looked like Ash and Nikki would fall to their premature demise Ivysaur managed to snag Nikki's ankle with his vines, saving them from plummeting into the fog.

"(Don't worry! I've got you!)" Ivysaur shouted. With his evolved form came new-found strength, which he used to pull Ash and Nikki back safely to the top of the cliff. As soon as they were safe Pikachu and Buneary hurried to their respective trainers.

"(Are you alright?)" Buneary asked.

"We're both fine, thanks to Ivysaur, that is," Nikki praised.

"Yeah, you really helped us out of a tight situation there," Ash added.

"(I'm just glad you're both okay,)" the Seed Pokémon said.

"(So are we,)" Pikachu admitted.

"I'll be even more glad when we're out of this fog. It's way too dangerous to try walking through this," Nikki stated.

"I agree. If only we had something to give us a bit of light," Ash commented.

"We can use my flashlight," Nikki suggested. She immediately began digging through her backpack for the device in question. Because of the fog it was a bit difficult to find, but eventually she found it. Flipping the switch provided the group with a bit of light.

"It's not much, but it's better than nothing," she admitted.

"Okay. I say we try to find somewhere to stay until this fog passes," Ash said. "Let's…"

"Hey! Is anyone there?"

"Did you hear that?" Nikki asked.

"Yeah," Ash answered. "It sounds like someone needs help."

"Where are you?" Nikki called.

"Down here!" Strangely enough the voice seemed to be coming from the bottom of the cliff Ash and Nikki nearly fell off of.

"Who knew there was someone down there," Nikki commented.

"Hang on! We'll pull you up!" Ash shouted. He then called Ivysaur over to them.

"I need you to use your Vine Whip to help whoever's down there get back up here," Ash explained.

"(Leave it to me,)" Ivysaur said. He lowered one of his vines and then waited for whoever was down there to grab it. After a few seconds he felt something brush against the vine. However, something didn't feel right to him.

"(Um, guys… I think I found whoever's down there… but, uh… they feel a little… furry,)" he said.

"Furry?" Nikki questioned, a bit confused.

"(Yeah,)" Ivysaur confirmed.

"What's taking so long? Grab my paw and pull me up!" the voice demanded.

"Hold on! Did they just say 'grab their paw'?" Ash questioned.

"Let's just get whoever's down there up here. We can figure the rest out after that," Nikki suggested. Ash agreed with her and instructed Ivysaur to go ahead and do as the voice asked. Ivysaur complied, wrapping his vine around the paw of mysterious voice.

"(Kinda small,)" he commented.

"Be careful pulling them up. They may be injured," Nikki warned. With a nod Ivysaur slowly began pulling the distressed being up.

"(Light, too,)" he added. Within seconds the being had been lifted to the top of the cliff, revealing their identity.

"It's a Vulpix!" Ash gasped as he stared sat the small six-tailed fox hanging from Ivysaur's vine.

"(Thanks. I've been down there for a while,)" she said. Immediately Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned her:

**Vulpix, the Fox Pokémon. As it develops, its single white tail gains color and splits into six. It is quite warm and cuddly.**

"They forgot cute," Nikki gushed.

"How did you end up down there?" Ash inquired. "Did you get lost in the fog like we did?"

"(Oh no. There was a berry plant just on the edge of the cliff, and since I was a bit hungry I tried to reach for it, but the cliff gave way and I fell down. Luckily I landed on that outcropping just a few feet down,)" Vulpix explained.

"I see," Ash said.

"(You mind putting me down?)" Vulpix wondered.

"(Oh… sure,)" Ivysaur replied. He gently placed her down on the ground, but as soon as she did she gasped in pain and fell.

"Oh no! What's wrong?" Nikki asked.

"(My leg! It hurts!)" Vulpix wailed. Taking a closer look at her they could see a rather large bruise on her left hind leg.

"That looks real bad. It must have happened when she fell," Ash assumed. "We have to get her to a Pokémon Center… fast!"

"But we don't know if there's one close by, and even if there is how are we going to get her there safely in all this fog?" Nikki wondered. That was something none of them had considered, but as they thought only one option came to mind.

"We've only got one option, but I doubt if Vulpix will like it," Ash said. "You're going to have to catch her." One look at Vulpix's shocked face showed that Ash was right about her not liking the idea of being captured.

"Why me? Why can't you catch her?" Nikki wondered. Ash shook his head.

"I already have a team of six Pokémon with me. If I catch her she'll get sent back to Professor Oak's place in Pallet Town," Ash explained. "You have three, so if you catch her she'll remain with you." Nikki nodded upon hearing Ash's explanation, but when she reached for one of her Poké Balls Vulpix tried to get up and run away.

"Whoa, take it easy. We only want to help you," Ash said.

"(No! You want to put me in one of those Balls! I won't let you!)" Vulpix argued. She tried to stand up, but immediately collapsed due to her injury.

"(Stop struggling! You're only making your injury worse!)" Pikachu pleaded.

"(Please, let us help you,)" Buneary begged.

"(No! I won't let you catch me!)" Vulpix shouted. Right then Nikki knelt down in front of her and began to gently pet her.

"I know you don't want to be captured, but it's the only way we can safely get to you to the Pokémon Center," she explained.

"(But… I've been a wild Pokémon all my life. I don't want to be captured,)" Vulpix explained.

"Okay then, how about we make a deal. You let me catch you now and after we get you taken care of at the Pokémon Center I'll let you go. That sound okay to you?" Nikki offered. Vulpix thought about this for a bit.

"(Well… okay,)" she agreed. With a nod Nikki grabbed one of her empty Poké Balls and gently tapped Vulpix on her head. She was converted to energy and drawn inside seconds later. The red light on the ball flashed a few times before the familiar 'ping' of a successful capture rang out.

"Okay, now we need to get her to a Pokémon Center," Ash stated.

"Is there one nearby?" Nikki wondered.

"Let's check the map," Ash suggested. He got the map while Nikki took out her flashlight. The two of them and their Pokémon scanned the map, hoping to find a Pokémon Center they could get Vulpix to.

"There's one," Ash said, pointing at a location on the map.

"(Looks like it's close by too,)" Pikachu stated.

"The closer the better," Nikki said. "So how do we get there from here?" Ash took a closer look at the map.

"Hmm… it looks like it's on a path," he observed.

"I don't remember coming across any path," Nikki said.

"Neither do I," Ash added.

"(So what do we do now?)" Pikachu inquired.

"There's not much we can do outside of retracing our steps and hoping we come across the path that'll take us to the Pokémon Center," Ash replied. After recalling Ivysaur to his Poké Ball the group began the task of retracing their steps in the hopes that they would find the path marked on the map so they could hurry to the nearby Pokémon Center and get Vulpix the help she desperately needed.

* * *

"Look! There's the Pokémon Center!" After spending some time retracing their steps Ash and Nikki managed to find the path marked on the map. After that it was a simple task of following the path until they found the Pokémon Center. They quickly entered and headed right for the front desk where Nurse Joy was waiting.

"Nurse Joy, we need your help!" Nikki panted.

"What is it?" Nurse Joy worriedly asked. Nikki immediately handed her the Poké Ball containing Vulpix.

"We found an injured Vulpix! She needs help!" Nikki said. Hearing the urgency in Nikki's voice Nurse Joy took the Poké Ball and let Vulpix out. Immediately upon appearing Vulpix collapsed, the pain in her leg too great for her to remain standing.

"That leg is in bad shape," Nurse Joy commented. She immediately called for Chansey to bring a stretcher. She then placed Vulpix on the stretcher before wheeling the Fox Pokémon to the operating room. Ash and Nikki could only look on and hope.

"Do you think Vulpix will be alright?" Nikki asked.

"I'm sure she will. Nurse Joy will do everything she can to help heal her injured leg," Ash told her. Nikki could only look towards the operating room, where Nurse Joy was trying her best to heal Vulpix's injury, and hope that Ash was right.

* * *

Half an hour had passed. Nikki glanced at the operating room. The light was still on atop the door, meaning that Nurse Joy was still tending to Vulpix's injury. The fact that neither of them knew how Vulpix was doing at the moment worried them, neither more than Nikki. While Ash, Pikachu and Buneary patiently sat on the couch Nikki couldn't help but pace back and forth.

"I can't take all this waiting. I wish Nurse Joy would come out and tell us something," Nikki said.

"So do I, but for now all we can do is wait for her to finish," Ash told her. Though she wanted to do more than just wait Nikki realized that Ash was right, so with a heavy sigh she sat back down on the couch next to Ash and waited for Nurse Joy to come out. Fortunately for Nikki the wait wasn't a long one, for the light above the operating room door went out a few short minutes later and Nurse Joy came out. The two trainers and their Pokémon quickly approached her, eager to hear news of Vulpix.

"How is she?" Nikki asked.

"Thankfully the injury to her leg was only a mild sprain. She'll be good as new in a few days," Nurse Joy reported.

"Whew… that's a relief," Nikki sighed.

"That it is," Nurse Joy agreed. "It must have been quite a frightening ordeal for her, dealing with those poachers and all."

"Yeah… wait, what?" Ash said.

"Who said anything about poachers?" Nikki questioned.

"Vulpix did. She told me she escaped from some poachers and in the process of running away she fell down that cliff," Nurse Joy explained. "When she landed on that outcropping she injured her leg, at least that's what she told Chansey and me." Ash, Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary all shared befuddled stares.

"That's not what she told us," Ash stated.

"(Yeah. She told us she fell while reaching for a berry bush that was on the edge of the cliff,)" Pikachu said. This left Nurse Joy as confused as they were.

"Why would she tell you one story and me another?" she wondered.

"Good question," Nikki replied.

"(Why don't we ask her,)" Buneary suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Nikki agreed. "What better way to get answers then straight from Vulpix." The trio of humans and the pair of Pokémon approached the operating room doors, but before they could pass through them Chansey walked out with a perplexed look on her face.

"What's wrong, Chansey?" Nurse Joy asked.

"(It's Vulpix, or to be more specific her story. I'm starting to think she made up the story about the poachers,)" the Egg Pokémon said.

"Let me guess. She's telling another version of how she was injured," Nikki assumed.

"(Why… yes,)" Chansey replied, surprised that Nikki figured it out so easily. "(How did you know?)"

"The version she told you and Nurse Joy is completely different from the version she told us," Ash explained.

"This will make number 3," Nikki stated.

"Come on. Let's here this one," Ash suggested. The others agreed with him as they quietly opened the operating room door. What they saw was a group of baby Pokémon all gathered around Vulpix, and from what they could tell all of them were listening to her story.

"(So there I was, my back to the cliff and an angry Machop staring me down. Safe to say I didn't have many options before me,)" she said. The baby Pokémon were all wide-eyed and listening intently.

"(What did you do?)" an Azurill asked.

"(The only way I could get away was to go through him, but before I could do anything he charged me, sending both of us falling off the cliff,)" Vulpix said. The babies all gasped.

"(What happened next?)" a Pichu asked.

"(As we were falling I saw an outcropping. I managed to land on it, but the Machop grabbed my leg as he fell and almost pulled me off with him. Fortunately I was able to hold on, but now I had that Machop holding onto my leg, and to make matters worse he was trying to pull me down with him,)" she described.

"(How did you get away?)" the Azurill asked.

"(I knew I had to get him off if I was to get back on the outcropping, so I started kicking him with my free leg to try and make him let me go,)" she continued. "(I managed to land a few good hits, but he was real stubborn.)" The baby Pokémon were hanging on her every word, completely enthralled by her story.

"(Once I realized that wouldn't work I had to try a different method, and that's when I was glad I knew Iron Tail. One well-placed hit and he let me go. He fell down into the fog while I was able to pull myself back onto the outcropping,)" she said.

"(You were okay after that?)" the Pichu asked.

"(Not really. When that Machop grabbed me to keep himself from falling he must have pulled something in my leg. Otherwise I would have been able to climb back up myself, but my leg hurt too much. Thankfully some trainers came by and rescued me,)" she concluded.

"(Wow! That was exciting!)" the Pichu commented. The other baby Pokémon agreed with him, much to the delight of Vulpix. At that moment Chansey came and ushered the baby Pokémon away.

"(Come now, Vulpix needs her rest,)" she told them. As the baby Pokémon were being led away Vulpix watched them with a smile on her face.

"That was quite a story you told them." She turned to the voice and saw Ash, Nikki and Nurse Joy approaching.

"So tell us, was that before or after you encountered the poachers?" Nurse Joy wondered.

"Yeah, and how were those berries?" Ash added.

"(Oh.. well… um…)" She desperately tried to think of an answer, but she couldn't come up with anything.

"Is there some reason you told three different stories about what happened to you?" Nikki wondered. Realizing she had been found out Vulpix decided to fess up.

"(Well, to be honest, I kinda fancy myself as a storyteller,)" she explained.

"(A storyteller?)" Buneary questioned.

"(Yes, a storyteller,)" Vulpix repeated. "(I like telling stories that really capture the listener's imagination.)"

"(Well, no offense, but your stories really didn't have that effect on us,)" Pikachu stated.

"(They weren't intended to,)" Vulpix replied. "(The stories I tell are intended for a much younger audience, so what I told you was nothing more than a…)"

"… a little white lie?" Nikki finished. Vulpix nodded.

"Okay then. Now that we've gotten that out of the way how about you tell us how you really ended up down on that outcropping," Ash insisted.

"(Well, if you must know… I got lost in the fog and fell,)" the Fox Pokémon admitted.

"(Guess we have something in common, then. That's the same thing that happened to us,)" Pikachu stated.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "At least we all ended up safe, and Vulpix is getting the medical treatment she needs to heal her injured leg."

"So now all we have to do is wait for the fog to clear so we can get out of this forest," Nikki assumed.

"That may take longer than you think," Nurse Joy warned.

"What do you mean?" Nikki inquired.

"The appearance of the fog, as well as its duration, is very random. It could last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days," the nurse explained.

"So it's possible that we could be stuck here for days if this fog doesn't lift soon," Ash assumed.

"Correct," Nurse Joy confirmed. After learning this bit of news Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon looked to each other.

"We might want to get comfortable. We could be here for a while," Ash said.

"It might not be so bad," Nikki commented. "This could give me some time to work out a new Contest strategy and you some time to get some battle practice in with Ivysaur and Absol."

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Ash commented.

"You're more than welcome to use the practice field behind the Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy offered.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." While Ash and Nikki were looking forward to getting some practice time in Vulpix was curious to see what kind of trainers they were, especially Nikki.

* * *

A couple of days passed, and just as Nurse Joy warned the fog had not lifted, meaning that Ash and Nikki were stuck at the Pokémon Center until it did. On the flip side it gave them time to prepare for their next challenge, an opportunity they were glad for. The fog posed no problem, for Nurse Joy had installed lights around the field to provide adequate light. She was currently standing at the window looking at Ash and Nikki train.

"I love seeing ambitious young trainers working so hard," she commented. The soft padding of feet attracted her attention. Turning around she saw Vulpix approaching her.

"Hello, Vulpix. Taking a little walk?" she inquired.

"(I needed to stretch my legs and I figured a walk would do just that,)" Vulpix explained. Though her injury wasn't fully healed yet it had healed enough for her to be able to walk around without much difficulty. She still had a slight limp, though.

"(Something going on outside?)" the Fox Pokémon wondered.

"Ash and Nikki are training some of their Pokémon," Nurse Joy answered. "Do you want to watch with me?" Vulpix nodded and walked over to the nurse. Nurse Joy picked Vulpix up and together they watched as Ash and Nikki practiced.

"Okay, Absol, I want you to defend against Ivysaur's Razor Leaf using Night Slash," Ash instructed.

"(I shall do my best,)" the Disaster Pokémon said. With Absol ready Ash gave his instructions to Ivysaur.

"Okay! Do it!" he called. With a nod Ivysaur launched a Razor Leaf volley at Absol.

"Now, Absol, use Night Slash!" Ash instructed. With a loud roar he swung the scythe on the side of his head at the Razor Leaf, a blade of Dark energy meeting the incoming Grass attack. For a while it seemed like the two attacks were evenly matched, but with a surge of strength pushed through the Razor Leaf, parting the attack.

"Alright! Nice work, you two," Ash praised. "Keep that up and the next badge is as good as ours."

"(No doubt about that,)" Ivysaur agreed.

"(We shall not disappoint,)" Absol stated. Nikki and her Pokémon had taken a short break in their training to watch Ash and his Pokémon.

"Not bad, Ash," Nikki commented. "With moves like that I don't see anyone being able to stop you."

"Thanks. What about you guys? Got anything new for your next Contest?" Ash inquired. Right then Nikki smiled.

"As a matter of fact we do," she declared. "Shinx and Buneary have been practicing a new combination and I think they've got it down. You want to see it?"

"Sure," Ash said. With their audience waiting Nikki and her Pokémon got ready to show off their new Contest combination.

"Okay, you guys ready?" she asked.

"(Yup!)" Buneary said.

"(You bet!)" Shinx added.

"Alright, then! Buneary, Hidden Power!" Twirling around for some added appeal Buneary hurled the attack at Shinx, watching as the orbs began to circle the Flash Pokémon.

"Okay, Shinx! Do it!" Nikki instructed.

"(Here we go!)" With the Hidden Power still circling her Shinx's body gave off a blinding flash of light. At first everyone had to shield their eyes, but once their eyes adjusted to the light what they saw left them speechless. Shinx's body was still shinning, but now the Hidden Power was shining as well, glowing in a variety of colors.

"Yes, it worked!" Nikki cheered.

"That was amazing, but if I'm not mistaken that looked like a new attack for Shinx," Ash commented.

"It was. Shinx can use Flash now," Nikki said.

"That's great! When did she learn it?" he asked.

"She told me earlier that she learned how to use it, though she never told me when," Nikki answered. "Either way it's a great Contest move." As they were talking they heard someone clapping. They looked and saw that Nurse Joy and Vulpix had stepped outside.

"That was really something," Nurse Joy commented. "You've really trained your Pokémon well."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy. All of us have been working hard," Ash replied.

"So, how are you feeling, Vulpix?" Nikki inquired.

"(Much better. My leg doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did at first,)" Vulpix informed her.

"That's good," Nikki said.

"(Umm… what kind of training were you doing just now?)" Vulpix wondered.

"That? That was some Contest training," Nikki answered.

"(Contest training?)" Vulpix questioned.

"That's right. You see, I'm aiming to be the top coordinator just like my mother," Nikki explained. Vulpix was highly intrigued. The only trainers she knew about were ones aiming for the Legenda League, so hearing about Nikki being a Pokémon coordinator really captured her interest.

"How about we take a break. We've been training for a while now and I think the Pokémon deserve a rest," Ash suggested.

"There are some snacks in the cafeteria that you're more than welcome to," Nurse Joy offered.

"Well, I don't see how we can so no to that offer," Nikki said. With both trainers in agreement they recalled their Pokémon except for Pikachu and Buneary and headed inside. Unbeknownst to them Vulpix remained in her spot. What she heard about Nikki had her intrigued, and she was determined to find out more about her… and what being a coordinator meant.

* * *

Nighttime came quickly for the inhabitants of the Pokémon Center. Everyone had turned in for the night and was currently enjoying their visit to dreamland. Everyone, that is, except for Nikki, who was currently lying in her bed wide awake, her mind occupied with her next Contest.

"I really hope I win. I don't know what I'd do if I lost a third straight time," she said. Right then the door opened. Nikki glanced at it and was surprised to see Vulpix walking in.

"Vulpix? What are you doing here?" Nikki wondered.

"(Well, to be honest, I wanted to speak to you about something,)" the Fox Pokémon confessed.

"Speak with me? About what?" Nikki inquired.

"(About what you said earlier, about you being a coordinator,)" Vulpix answered.

"Okay. What did you want to know?' Nikki asked.

"(First of all, just what is a coordinator?)" Vulpix asked.

"Okay, but that may take a while. You might want to get comfortable," Nikki suggested. She scooted back in the bed to give Vulpix room to jump in, making sure not to disturb the sleeping Buneary. Once there was enough room Vulpix jumped into the bed and laid down next to Nikki.

"Okay, now where to begin? Well, a coordinator is a type of trainer that focuses on how appealing they can make their Pokémon," Nikki explained.

"(Appealing?)" Vulpix questioned.

"That's right. While regular trainers try to make their Pokémon as strong as they can coordinators try to make their Pokémon and their moves as appealing as they can," Nikki continued.

"(I see. You also said something about your mother being a top coordinator. Does that mean there's some kind of competition that goes along with being a Pokémon coordinator?)" Vulpix asked.

"There is. Coordinators compete in Pokémon Contests all over the region trying to earn ribbons. Earning five ribbons means you qualify for the Grand Festival. Win there and you'll earn the right to be called top coordinator," Nikki said.

"(Wow,)" Vulpix gasped. "(What kinds of Pokémon compete in these Contests?)"

"All kinds. Every Pokémon can be appealing in their own way," Nikki answered.

"(Do you think I'd make a good Contest Pokémon?)" she wondered.

"Absolutely," Nikki confirmed. "It's just too bad… we'll never… get the chance… to… find… out…" While they were speaking Nikki began to feel tired, and with one drawn-out yawn she laid her head down and fell asleep. Now that Vulpix got the answers she was looking for she was even more interested in Pokémon Contests.

"(I wonder just how good I would be at Pokémon Contests,)" she whispered. "(Perhaps I could ask Nikki to take me with her so I can find out.)" She knew Nikki promised to return her to the wild once she was fully healed, but right now she had no intentions of returning to being a wild Pokémon. She just hoped she could convince Nikki to take her along.

* * *

The next morning saw everyone gathered out in front of the Pokémon Center. After a quick check-up Nurse Joy determined that Vulpix's injury had healed and she was cleared to leave. The fog had also lifted, meaning that it was safe for Ash and Nikki to continue their journey as well.

"Thanks for letting us stay, Nurse Joy," Ash said.

"My pleasure. I wish all of you good luck on your journeys," the nurse said.

"Guess it's time to hit the road," Ash assumed.

"Yeah, but first I have a promise to keep," Nikki stated. She then turned to Vulpix, the Poké Ball she used to catch the Fox Pokémon in her hand.

"I said I'd release you once you were healed, and now that you are I'm going to make good on my promise," Nikki explained. Just as she was about to release Vulpix the Fox pokémon stopped her.

"(Hold on a second,)" she said.

"What is it?" Nikki asked.

"(Well, I did some thinking after we spoke last night… and I came to the conclusion that I want to see how I'd do in Pokémon Contests. Therefore, I want to remain your Pokémon,)" she explained. Nikki was a bit shocked by this revelation.

"A-Are you sure? You don't want to be released back into the wild?" she questioned.

"(No. I want to be a Contest Pokémon, so please say you'll take me with you,)" she requested. Right then a huge smile broke out on Nikki's face.

"Of course I'll take you along!" she exclaimed. Both she and Vulpix were excited about their new partnership, and as Nikki returned her new Pokémon to her Poké Ball Ash and Pikachu offered their congratulations.

"I'm sure Vulpix will be a great addition to your team," Ash commented.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks, you guys. With enough practice I'm sure I'll have a team that'll get me my first Contest ribbon," Nikki declared. With a new member to their ever-growing family Ash and Nikki left the Pokémon Center on their way to Treetop Town, the sight of Ash's next Gym battle.

* * *

An unexpected stop at a Pokémon Center not only nets Nikki a new Pokémon in the form of a storytelling Vulpix but also helps Shinx learn the move Flash. How will these improvements help Nikki in future Contests? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	25. Potential Doubts

**Chapter 25: Potential Doubts**

On their way to Treetop Town for Ash's second Legenda League gym battle the group came across an open field, a perfect location for a training session. Ash was using Absol and Quilava while Nikki decided to give her newly-caught Vulpix some training by pairing her with Swablu.

"Are you ready?" Nikki called.

"Sure am," Ash replied. With both sides ready the two trainers called out their attacks.

"Quilava, start off with Smokescreen! Absol, use Shadow Ball!" Ash instructed. Quilava spewed out a thick cloud of smoke, concealing both himself and Absol. The Disaster Pokémon used the Smokescreen to launch his Shadow Ball, hoping to catch Nikki's Pokémon off-guard.

"That's not going to work, Ash!" Nikki declared. "Swablu, counter with Dragon Pulse!" The Cotton Bird Pokémon formed the orb of Dragon energy in her mouth and fired it at the incoming Shadow Ball. The two attacks collided and exploded, blowing away the Smokescreen and giving Nikki a clear view of her opponents.

"Now go!" she shouted. With a loud chirp Swablu flew towards the Smokescreen cloud. Ash, though, was quick to call out an intercept attack.

"Quick, Quilava, use Flame Wheel!" The Volcano Pokémon curled into a ball of flame and charged towards Swablu.

"Use Fire Spin to shield her, Vulpix!" Nikki instructed. Taking a deep breath Vulpix spewed a powerful Fire Spin, the flames circling around Swablu like a protective barrier. Unfortunately the attack proved to be too powerful as Swablu's panicked cries echoed in the fiery vortex.

"Whoa! Stop your attack, Vulpix!" Nikki panicked. The Fox Pokémon ceased her attack as everyone ran to Swablu's side. Despite the fact that Vulpix didn't mean to use it to attack her Swablu was slightly singed.

"Are you okay?" Nikki asked.

"(Y-Yeah… I'm okay,)" Swablu said. Despite her saying she was okay everyone could see she was a bit shaken up.

"(Sorry. I didn't mean to use that much power,)" Vulpix apologized.

"It's okay. We know you didn't mean to overdo it. You just need to use less power in your attacks next time," Nikki said. "If you don't mind I'd like to stop the battle, Ash."

"Sure. I think it's for the best," Ash agreed. He recalled Absol and Quilava while Nikki did the same with Swablu.

"(I guess that means I'm done with training, right?)" Vulpix assumed, disappointment in her voice.

"Not yet. There are still a few things I want to try," Nikki corrected. This made Vulpix hopeful that she could still be a promising Contest Pokémon.

"(So who am I practicing with now?)" she inquired. She got her answer when Nikki called out Shinx.

"(What's up?)" the Flash Pokémon inquired.

"I want to try out a combination attack with you and Vulpix," Nikki explained.

"(What kind of combination?)" Vulpix asked.

"I want to see how well your Flamethrower and Shinx's Charge Beam look combined," Nikki answered. "Think you two can pull it off?"

"(Sure thing,)" Shinx said.

"(I'm willing to try,)" Vulpix added. Both Pokémon stood ready for Nikki's command.

"Shinx, Charge Beam! Vulpix, Flamethrower!" Nikki instructed. The two of them fired their respective attacks, watching as they traveled side-by-side. At first it looked as though things were going smoothly, but when they began to merge together sparks began shooting between them.

"Whoa! What's happening?" Ash shouted. Before anyone could answer him the attacks exploded. Everyone had to shield their eyes from the dust and debris that was kicked up from the explosion.

"Oh man… that didn't go as planned," Nikki commented once she was able to uncover her face.

"(Was my attack too strong again?)" Vulpix asked.

"I don't know. Let's try it again, only this time use less power," Nikki instructed. Vulpix and Shinx nodded and fired their attacks once again, this time with Vulpix using considerably less power than before. Despite this the result was still the same with the attacks exploding as they tried to merge.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," Nikki sighed. With the experiment with Vulpix and Shinx not paying off Nikki decided to try a different partner, this time calling for Buneary to work with the Fox Pokémon.

"Okay, for this one I want you to launch Buneary into the air with your Iron Tail," Nikki instructed.

"(How do we do that?)" Buneary asked.

"Simple. Vulpix will charge up an Iron Tail and then you'll use that as a catapult," Nikki explained. Now that both Pokémon understood what they were to do they were eager to give it a try.

"Remember not to use too much power, Vulpix. Don't throw her too high," Nikki warned.

"(I'll do my best,)" Vulpix replied. The two of them prepared to give the combination move their best shot.

"Okay… do it!" Vulpix quickly charged up her Iron Tail while Buneary jumped towards her. The Rabbit Pokémon landed on Vulpix's Iron Tail-charged tails and waited to be launched.

"(Time for liftoff!)" Vulpix shouted. With a flick of her tail she launched Buneary into the air. Unfortunately, despite the fact she was being careful not to use too much strength behind her toss, Vulpix launched Buneary much higher than expected, causing the Rabbit Pokémon to panic and flail in the air.

"Buneary!" Nikki shouted.

"(Whoa!)" Buneary screamed.

"Catch her, Noctowl!" Ash shouted, throwing one of his Poké Balls out. The Owl Pokémon appeared and quickly sped towards Buneary, catching her on his back.

"(Whew… thanks, Noctowl,)" Buneary said.

"(Think nothing of it, my friend,)" Noctowl replied. He landed and let Buneary jump off his back.

"Are you okay?" Nikki questioned.

"(Yeah. I'm fine,)" Buneary replied.

"(Sorry. I messed up again,)" Vulpix apologized. Everyone could see this was really starting to bother the Fox Pokémon.

"Come on. Let's stay positive here," Nikki urged. "There are still some things I want to try out."

"(O… Okay.)" Despite Nikki's optimistic attitude towards the situation Vulpix was beginning to doubt whether she really had what it took to be a Contest Pokémon.

* * *

Hours later Nikki had exhausted nearly all of her options. So far none of the combinations she had come up with for Vulpix and her other Pokémon had worked, leading the Fox Pokémon to become more and more depressed. However, the young coordinator refused to give up.

"Okay, let's go over this one more time. Vulpix, you fire your Energy Ball at Buneary, and Buneary will knock it back at you," Nikki explained. "Think of it as you two having a friendly volleyball game."

"(Sounds like fun,)" Buneary commented.

"(Okay, if you say so,)" Vulpix said.

"Trust me, this will work," Nikki stated. As the two Pokémon took their positions nearly 10 feet apart Nikki began to wonder herself if this really would work.

"(Ready when you are, Vulpix!)" Buneary called. Vulpix took a deep breath and charged up an Energy Ball.

"_(Please let this work…)"_ As soon as it was charged enough she fired it, the green orb flying towards Buneary. The Rabbit Pokémon drew her paw back and got ready to knock it back. Once it was in range she swung at it, but upon touching it the Energy Ball exploded.

"Buneary!" Nikki shouted. Everyone ran to Buneary's side to see if she was alright. Thankfully the only thing wrong was her fur getting a bit dirty from the smoke cloud.

"(Oh man… can't I do anything right?)" Vulpix moaned.

"You know, I think we should call it a day. We can try again tomorrow," Ash suggested. Nikki agreed with him as she and Ash recalled all their Pokémon. As Ash packed up his gear Nikki stared at Vulpix's Poké Ball.

"Oh Vulpix…" After a few moments she clipped the ball to her belt and helped Ash pack up their gear.

* * *

Night came much sooner than they expected, forcing them to set up camp once again. After once again setting up their campsite Nikki got to work preparing food for her, Ash and the Pokémon. Within minutes a delicious odor began filling the air.

"Man, that's starting to smell good," Ash commented.

"Thanks. My mother taught me how to cook while I was helping her run our Pokémon daycare," Nikki explained. "You have no idea how useful skills like that can be until you have to use them."

"Well I for one am glad you have those skills," Ash said.

"(Me too!)" Pikachu agreed.

"Well you'll be happier to know that dinner is now ready," Nikki announced. She and Ash first gave their Pokémon their food before sitting down to eat theirs.

"Wow! This is great!" Ash exclaimed after taking a bite of the stew Nikki made.

"(This is some of the best Pokémon food I've had!)" Pikachu commented.

"Thanks, you guys. There's plenty more where that came from," Nikki announced. No one turned down seconds, and within a few minutes the meal had been polished off.

"Man, that was too good," Ash said, patting his full stomach.

"(You can say that again,)" Pikachu agreed, imitating his trainer.

"I hope the two of you aren't too full to help me clean up," Nikki wondered. Naturally they were more than glad to assist. As they got to work cleaning up Nikki brought up a subject that had been on her mind all day.

"What am I going to do with Vulpix?" she wondered.

"Huh?" Ash asked.

"You saw what happened today. No matter what we tried nothing went right," Nikki said. Unbeknownst to them Vulpix was listening intently to the conversation, her future with Nikki seemingly coming into question.

"I'm sure things will be better tomorrow," Ash said. "You just have to give her some time to adjust to things."

"That's just it, Ash. I don't know how much longer I can wait," Nikki countered. "I've been in two Contests already and I lost both. If I don't win one quick I don't think I'll be able to get one track soon enough to make the Grand Festival." It was clear from the sound of her voice that this was weighing heavily on her mind, but not even Ash could predict what she said next.

"Do… Do you want Vulpix?" Nikki asked.

"What?" Ash gasped.

"_(N-Nikki! What are you…)"_ Vulpix thought.

"Come on, we both saw what happened when we were training earlier. Her attacks are real powerful, so powerful that I think she'll be a better battling Pokémon than a Contest Pokémon," Nikki explained. "If that's the case than I think you could really bring out her true potential." Ash had no idea how to answer that. He never expected Nikki to ask him to take Vulpix for his own like that.

"Nikki, I…"

"Come on, Ash. You're the only one that can do this," Nikki pleaded. Before Ash could reply they heard a loud gasp. As they turned they were unprepared for what, or who, they saw.

"Oh no…" Ash said.

"(N-Nikki… h-how could you…)" Vulpix pleaded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Vulpix, I… I can explain," Nikki stuttered. She never got the chance to, for seconds later Vulpix ran off.

"Vulpix, wait!" Nikki called, but the Fox Pokémon had already vanished.

"Oh no, what have I done?" Nikki moaned. "After hearing what I said Vulpix probably hates me."

"Now let's not panic. I'm sure Vulpix doesn't hate you," Ash reassured her. "Now come on. We have to find her." They quickly packed up their things and returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls with the exception of Pikachu and Buneary.

"Do you think she'll still want to be my Pokémon?" Nikki wondered.

"I'm positive we will," Ash answered. "But first we have to find her." Nikki agreed with him as the group began their search for the missing Fox Pokémon.

* * *

Elsewhere the trio of Jessie, James and Meowth had stopped so Jessie could practice her Contest routine. So far, though, things were not going as she planned.

"No, no, no! That is not how it's supposed to happen!" she yelled as Seviper and Magcargo failed to create a successful combination.

"You know, we might have gotten Pikachu already if you'd put this much effort into catching him instead of wasting time on Contests," Meowth commented. That comment infuriated Jessie.

"My practicing for Contests is not a waste of time!" she yelled. "If I become a successful coordinator our money problems will be over."

"Our money problems would already be over if James would just start dipping into the family fortune," Meowth scoffed.

"Absolutely not!" James refused. "If I do that then my parents will know where I am… and that will lead to Jessibelle coming after me again." The blue haired trainer shuddered at the thought of his overly-aggressive fiancé coming after him once again.

"We are a sad group," Meowth sighed. Before an argument could break out between the trio they heard the sound of crying.

"Sounds like we aren't the only ones having a bad day," Meowth commented. With their curiosity getting the better of them the trio headed towards the crying. They soon came upon some bushes and peered through. There they found Vulpix in the middle of a clearing, tears streaming down her muzzle.

"(Why, Nikki… Why don't you want me anymore?)" she wept.

"Nikki? Isn't that the name of that twerpette traveling with the twerp?" James wondered.

"If that's the case then they must be nearby," Jessie concluded. "A perfect time to snatch Pikachu."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's start snatching," James said.

"Hold on. Why do that when one of their Pokémon has conveniently strolled right into our proverbial lap," Meowth stated. "Instead of trying to steal Pikachu why don't we add this Vulpix to our ranks."

"That's not a bad idea, and judging from her current situation it doesn't appear as though she'll be a twerp Pokémon for long," James observed. With all three of them in agreement they emerged from the bushes, getting the attention of the Fox Pokémon.

"(W-Who are you?)" Vulpix stuttered.

"Relax, we're not here to hurt you," Meowth said. That caught Vulpix by surprise.

"(A Pokémon that can speak human language? I never knew that was possible!)" she gasped.

"I'm unique like that," Meowth bragged. "But enough about me. It sounds like you're having a bad day. Care to share?" Vulpix hung her head as fresh tears threatened to fall.

"(My trainer… she doesn't want me anymore,)" she said.

"Now who wouldn't want a cutie like you?" Jessie wondered.

"(We had a bad training session and… she doesn't think I can make it as a Contest Pokémon,)" Vulpix said, doing her best to hold back her tears. "(Maybe… Maybe she's right. I messed up so bad earlier. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a Contest Pokémon.)"

"Nonsense! I think you have just what it takes to be a top-notch Contest Pokémon," Jessie stated. "All you need is the right coordinator to guide you."

"(R-Really? You think I just need the right coordinator?)" Vulpix questioned.

"I do, and I think that I'm just the coordinator to do that," Jessie declared. Hearing this made Vulpix excited for a moment, but that soon passed as she once again became depressed.

"Hey, why the long face? I thought you wanted to be a top-notch Contest Pokémon," Meowth inquired.

"(Believe me I do, but at the same time I don't want to leave my trainer,)" Vulpix stated.

"Well from the sounds of it she doesn't appear to have the same confidence in you that I do," Jessie commented. "So, what will it be? Do you want to be a great Contest Pokémon, or do you want to return to your old trainer and never reach the top of the Contest world?" For Vulpix this was a difficult choice. She wanted to be a top Contest Pokémon, but she didn't want to do it with anyone else other than Nikki.

"(I… I…)"

"Vulpix! Where are you?" Vulpix's ears perked up as soon as she heard Nikki's voice calling out to her.

"(Nikki? Is that you?)" Vulpix shouted.

"Hey! I think she's over here!" Moments later both Ash and Nikki burst into the clearing. Immediately Nikki spotted Vulpix while Ash was first to notice Team Rocket.

"There you are! I was so worried about you," Nikki said.

"(Oh Nikki…)" Vulpix said.

"Team Rocket! What are you doing with Vulpix?" Ash demanded.

"So much for peaceful negotiations," James sighed.

"Looks like we're doing this the hard way." In the blink of an eye Meowth had his arm around Vulpix's neck and was dragging her back towards Jessie and James.

"(H-Hey! What are you doing?)" Vulpix shouted.

"Let her go!" Nikki demanded.

"Not a chance, twerps! We had hoped to do this the easy way, but with you here everything's changed," Meowth said. "So now we're taking this little ball of fire by force."

"Not if we can help it!" Ash declared. Pikachu, use…"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jessie warned. "Any attack you use on us will be felt by your little friend here." Right then Vulpix realized she was at the mercy of Team Rocket with Ash and Nikki unable to do anything as long as she was in their clutches. However…

"_(Just because they can't fight back doesn't mean I can't!)"_ In her current situation she didn't have many moves that would free her, but there was one she knew would do the trick perfectly. While Meowth was distracted she powered up an Iron Tail and, using all the strength she could muster, smashed Meowth's foot. The Scratch Cat Pokémon howled in pain as he grabbed his sore foot, releasing Vulpix in the process. As soon as she was free she scampered over to Nikki.

"Are you alright?" Nikki asked.

"(I am now,)" Vulpix replied.

"What are you doing, Meowth? You released the hostage!" James yelled.

"Who cares about that? My toes are as flat as pancakes!" Meowth wailed.

"Well thanks to you and your flat toes we've got to take on the twerps if we want that Vulpix," Jessie griped.

"In that case we might as well add Pikachu to the list," James figured.

"I don't think so!" Ash declared. He and Pikachu got ready to do battle with Team Rocket when Nikki stopped them.

"I've got this one," she declared. The two of them were surprised by Nikki's declaration, but decided to step back and let her take care of Team Rocket.

"They're all yours," Ash said. With a nod Nikki stepped forward to take on Team Rocket.

"Please, like you can defeat us," Jessie scoffed.

"We'll swat you aside like an annoying Bug Pokémon," James declared.

"I'd like to see you try," Nikki challenged. Both Jessie and James stared at her confidently, each one of them holding a Poké Ball.

"Oh, we'll do more than try," Jessie said. "Magcargo, get them!"

"You too, Tropius!" James shouted. Their Pokémon appeared, but moments after being released from his Poké Ball Tropius turned around and tackled James to the ground

"(Rice ball, please!)" he demanded. With a sigh James fed his Pokémon a rice ball. His taste buds satisfied Tropius joined Magcargo on the battlefield. In response to their challenge Buneary hopped forward while Nikki readied a Poké Ball of her own.

"I choose you, Shinx!" she shouted. The Flash Pokémon appeared by the side of her teammate and got ready for battle.

"Tropius, use Magical Leaf!" James instructed.

"Magcargo, Flamethrower!" Jessie ordered. The two Pokémon launched their attacks at Buneary and Shinx, but Nikki remained calm.

"Dodge that!" Nikki shouted. With little effort her two Pokémon dodged the attacks.

"Now it's our turn! Buneary, use Hidden Power! Shinx, Charge Beam!" Buneary quickly formed her Hidden Power and hurled the orbs while Shinx fired her concentrated Electric beam.

"Protect, Magcargo!" Jessie ordered. Magcargo's Protect managed to block the two attacks right before they made contact.

"Darn!" Nikki shouted.

"Counter with Magical Leaf, Tropius!" James instructed. As soon as Protect was dropped Tropius swung his leaf-like wings forward, sending a volley of glowing green leaves at Buneary and Shinx. The two of them barely had time to react before they were struck with the Grass attack. The two of them were left in a daze, giving Jessie the perfect opportunity to launch an attack of her own.

"Use Flamethrower!" she commanded. A stream of fire erupted from Magcargo's mouth and sped towards the still-recovering Buneary and Shinx.

"Move it, guys! Hurry!" Nikki shouted. Her cries, however, were unheeded. With both her Pokémon still in a daze it appeared as though Team Rocket had the upper hand, but Vulpix would have none of it.

"(I've got you covered!)" she barked. Right before the Flamethrower hit she spewed forth a Fire Spin, encasing both Buneary and Shinx inside. Magcargo's Flamethrower hit the Fire Spin and was easily repelled, but what surprised everyone was the fact that once Vulpix's Fire Spin died down no damage had been caused to either Buneary or Shinx.

"_That… That's the move we practiced earlier! She pulled it off!"_ Nikki gasped.

"Hey, what gives? I thought you wanted to leave your trainer!" Meowth griped.

"(I never wanted to leave my trainer, and after seeing what you three are really like there's no way I'd ever join you!)" Vulpix growled.

"Well if that's how you feel then you can be defeated along with her!" Jessie yelled.

"(I don't think so!)" Vulpix countered. She then glanced back at Buneary and Shinx, seeing that the two of them had recovered.

"(Let's team up!)" Vulpix suggested.

"(Okay!)" Buneary agreed. She bounced towards Vulpix as the Fox Pokémon powered up an Iron Tail.

"_What are they up to?"_ Nikki wondered. She got her answer when Buneary landed on Vulpix's tail. Shortly after that Vulpix launched the Rabbit Pokémon into the air.

"_That's another move we practiced!"_ Nikki gasped.

"(Heads up!)" Vulpix shouted. Right after that she threw her head back and launched an Energy Ball up towards Buneary. Once the Energy Ball reached her Buneary spiked it down towards Magcargo and Tropius.

"Quick, Jessie! Tell Magcargo to use Protect!" James panicked. Unfortunately for them the Energy Ball was traveling much too fast. Before Jessie could call the attack the Energy Ball struck, sending both Pokémon crashing into their trainers. With Team Rocket temporarily down Vulpix looked to Shinx.

"(Let's take them out!)" she said.

"(Let's!)" Shinx agreed. The two of them simultaneously launched attacks, Shinx a Charge Beam and Vulpix a Flamethrower. As they sped towards team Rocket they merged, forming a spiraling red-and-yellow mixture of fire and electricity. Seeing this left Nikki too shocked to think.

"This is going to hurt!" Team Rocket shrieked moments before the attacks struck, creating an explosion that sent them hurtling through the air.

"If we had talked faster we might have been able to convince that Vulpix to join us before the twerps arrived," James moaned.

"Any faster and I would have been tongue-tied," Jessie countered.

"If you ask me there was too much talking and not enough action," Meowth griped.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried as they vanished.

"Alright! Great work, you guys!" Nikki praised. The Pokémon happily celebrated their victory, but shortly after Vulpix became slightly depressed, something Nikki noticed almost immediately.

"(Listen… I know you don't want me anymore, so I think that…)"

"No, Vulpix. That's not it at all," Nikki interrupted. "I know you heard me and Ash talking earlier. The reason I wanted him to train you was because I felt that I was holding you back."

"(Huh? What do you mean?)" Vulpix wondered.

"Well, once I saw how powerful your attacks were when we were training earlier I felt that trying to raise you as a Contest Pokémon would be limiting what you could do. That's why I offered to let Ash train you, so you could reach your full potential," Nikki explained. "But now, after seeing you pull off those combinations perfectly, I'm convinced that I was right about you being a great Contest Pokémon. So, if you still want to…" Before she could finish Vulpix dove into her arms.

"(Of course I do! There's no one else I want as my trainer, Nikki!)" Vulpix exclaimed. Hearing the happiness in the Fox Pokémon's voice filled Nikki with joy as she hugged her Pokémon.

"I'm glad we got that straightened out," Ash commented.

"(Me too,)" Pikachu agreed. "(Glad you're still part of the family, Vulpix.)"

"(So am I,)" Vulpix said. At that moment they glanced up at the sky, seeing the numerous stars that filled it.

"We should head on back to camp and get some rest. We've got a long day tomorrow, and a lot of practicing ahead of us," Nikki suggested. The others agreed with her as they made their way back to camp.

* * *

What started off as a bad training session led to a misunderstanding which fortunately ended with Nikki and Vulpix growing closer as trainer and Pokémon. Now that Nikki's convinced that Vulpix has Contest potential what will their next step be? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	26. The Fox and the Hound Pokémon Style

Sorry this took so long. I've been dealing with some things (Writer's block, less-than-reliable Internet and a minor but painful injury). Hopefully this chapter will make up for the delay.

**Chapter 26: The Fox and the Hound - Pokémon Style**

With Ash's Gym battle in Treetop Town growing closer with each day, and with Nikki desperately seeking her first Contest win, the group decided to make a stop for a special training session. Ash was looking to strengthen his newest Pokémon while Nikki was helping Vulpix work on Contest routines. Right now the Fox Pokémon was paired up with Swablu.

"Okay, use Fire Spin, Vulpix!" Nikki instructed.

"(Okay!)" Taking a deep breath Vulpix spewed forth a spinning stream of flames towards the Cotton Bird Pokémon.

"Now twirl, Swablu!" Nikki shouted. As the Fire Spin closed in on her Swablu spun in the air. Once it reached her the Fire Spin began encircling her, just as Nikki had hoped it would.

"Okay, now fly through the air, but keep on spinning!" she instructed.

"(Right!)" Swablu complied. She gracefully flew through the air, still spinning, with the Fire Spin trailing right behind her.

"Now put on the finishing touches!" Nikki shouted. Swablu stopped and hovered in the air right above Vulpix, letting the Fire Spin swirl around her. Then, with one flap of her wings, she dispersed the Fire attack, golden embers slowly falling to the ground around the Fox Pokémon. As the embers fell Swablu flew down and landed on Vulpix's back, the two of them taking a bow.

"Alright, that was great!" Nikki praised upon seeing the conclusion of the successful performance.

"(Naturally,)" Vulpix bragged.

"(What else would you expect?)" Swablu added.

"Okay, you two. Don't let all that praise go to your heads," Nikki giggled.

"I don't know, Nikki. As good as they looked I say they have reason to be confident," Ash commented.

"Perhaps, but I don't want them getting over-confident," she replied. "And speaking of training who's getting a workout today?" Ash grabbed a single Poké Ball from his belt.

"I think I'll train this guy," Ash said. He tossed the Ball and watched as Growlithe appeared from within. As soon as he appeared Vulpix's eyes grew wide.

"_(Who is he?)"_ she wondered.

"Feel like sparring with Pikachu today, Growlithe?" Ash asked.

"(Sure,)" the Puppy Pokémon agreed. He stood in front of Ash while Pikachu stood opposite of them.

"Okay, Pikachu! We're ready whenever you are!" Ash called.

"(Right! Here I come!)" The Mouse Pokémon started things off with his signature move.

"_Pikachu's not wasting any time,"_ Ash thought. "Growlithe, counter with Flamethrower!" Taking a deep breath Growlithe spewed forth a Flamethrower, the Fire attack canceling out Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Good job, Growlithe! Now use Flame Wheel!" Ash instructed. Growlithe's body became wrapped in flames as he curled into a ball and sped towards Pikachu.

"Looking good, Growlithe!" Nikki commented.

"_(Yeah… real good,)"_ Vulpix added in her head.

"(Yeah, but not good enough!)" Pikachu countered. As Growlithe got closer he charged up his Iron Tail. Then, right before Growlithe's Flame Wheel was to hit, Pikachu ducked under the attack and struck him with Iron Tail. The impact threw off Growlithe's trajectory, causing the Puppy Pokémon to have a rough landing. He wasn't injured, but the impact did leave him slightly dazed.

"(You're mine now!)" Pikachu declared. He went into his Quick Attack and closed in on Growlithe. Vulpix looked on nervously, hoping that Growlithe would be able to stop Pikachu's attack in time.

"Quick, use Roar!" Ash shouted. With Pikachu right on top of him Growlithe let out a desperation Roar. The sudden attack froze Pikachu in his tracks, making the Mouse Pokémon flinch.

"Double Team!" Ash said. By the time Pikachu recovered he was surrounded by multiple Growlithe.

"_(Darn! How could I let myself get in this situation?)"_ Pikachu griped.

"Flamethrower!" Ash instructed. At that moment all the Growlithe prepared to ire a Flamethrower, though Pikachu knew only one was the actual attack. The problem was finding the real one in time to either stop or avoid it. Within seconds his ears picked up on the crackling sound of the real Flamethrower coming from his right, and with lightning speed he managed to duck underneath it, letting the Flamethrower pass harmlessly overhead. After his attack Growlithe's Double Team faded, revealing his true location.

"(Now I've got you!)" Pikachu shouted. He broke out into a charge towards Growlithe, his body quickly becoming enveloped in electricity as he went into his Volt Tackle.

"Quick! Counter with Flame Wheel!" Ash shouted. Without missing a beat Growlithe wrapped his body in flames and went into an intercept path.

"Oh man. This is going to be big," Nikki commented. Vulpix couldn't tear her eyes away as she worried about Growlithe's safety. She hadn't known the group for very long, but she was aware of the power of Volt Tackle through stories she had heard over the years.

"_(Please come out of this okay…)"_ she prayed. Moments later the two attacks collided, resulting in an explosion of fire and electricity. Both combatants were thrown back and came tumbling to a stop. Though clearly stunned neither were hurt. At that moment Ash decided to end the battle.

"Okay, guys. That's enough for now," he said. With the battle over both Pokémon returned to their trainer.

"That was a great training session," Ash praised. "Especially you, Growlithe. You're making a lot of progress."

"(I'll say. You had me going there for a while,)" Pikachu agreed. The Puppy Pokémon beamed with pride at all the praise he was receiving.

"Growlithe looked good out there, didn't he," Nikki commented.

"(He sure did,)" Buneary agreed.

"(They both did,)" Swablu added.

"What did you think, Vulpix?" Nikki asked. "… Vulpix?" The Fox Pokémon did not hear her, for her eyes were still fixated on Growlithe, a slight blush making its way to her cheeks. Taking note of this a smile made its way to Nikki's lips.

"(Hello? You still with us?)" Buneary questioned, waving a paw in front of Vulpix. The sudden movement in her face snapped the Fox Pokémon out of her trance.

"(Huh? What?)" she stammered.

"(You were really spaced-out there. You okay?)" Swablu asked.

"(Oh… y-yeah. I'm fine,)" Vulpix said. Even though Vulpix was snapped out of her trance Nikki could tell Growlithe was still on her mind.

"Hey, Ash, let's take a break," she suggested.

"Good idea," Ash agreed. "I'll let everyone else out of their Poké Balls."

"And while you're doing that I'll get to work on some food for everyone," Nikki said. While the two trainers went about their tasks Vulpix decided to get to know Growlithe a bit better. As she approached him she could feel the Butterfree in her stomach. Within moments she was standing right behind him.

"_(Here goes nothing…)"_ After taking a moment to calm her nerves the Fox Pokémon spoke up.

"(H-Hi there,)" she said, stuttering slightly. Hearing someone speaking to him Growlithe turned around and saw Vulpix standing behind him.

"(Hello,)" he greeted. "(I don't think we've met before.)"

"(We haven't. I've only been here a short while,)" Vulpix explained. As they spoke Vulpix was able to get a better look at him.

"_(Oh Mew, he's even more handsome up close,)"_ she thought. Alternatively Growlithe was having similar thoughts about Vulpix.

"_(She's a cute one,)"_ he observed. They stood there for a time, each one absorbed in their own thoughts. Finally Growlithe decided to break the silence.

"(So, how did you end up joining the family?)" he asked. Just as she was about to reply Nikki called out to the group.

"Okay, everyone! Food's ready!" she announced. The next few minutes were spent with Ash and Nikki handing out bowls of food to their Pokémon. Once they were done they sat down to eat the sandwiches Nikki had prepared for them.

"You know, Nikki, if coordinating doesn't work out you could always open a restaurant," Ash joked.

"Let's hope I serve up some Contest wins instead of appetizers," Nikki added. As the trainers joked the Pokémon enjoyed their own meals. As Growlithe ate his food he became aware of a presence approaching.

"(Mind if I join you?)" Looking up Growlithe saw Vulpix standing in front of him, her bowl of Pokémon food sitting next to her.

"(Be my guest,)" he told her. With a smile Vulpix sat by his side, placing her bowl of food next to his. As they ate together Growlithe addressed an unanswered question from earlier.

"(You know, you never got a chance to answer my question earlier,)" Growlithe stated.

"(What question?)" Vulpix inquired.

"(About how you came to join us,)" Growlithe said.

"(That's right. I didn't,)" Vulpix realized. "(They found me in a fog-covered forest. The fog was so thick I couldn't see where I was going, so I fell off a cliff and injured my leg. Luckily for me they found the cliff I had fallen off of… by almost falling off themselves.)"

"(That doesn't sound too pleasant,)" Growlithe commented.

"(No, but in the end it all worked out. They kept themselves from falling and saved me in the process,)" Vulpix said. "(After they pulled me up they took me to a Pokémon Center where I was treated by Nurse Joy. Unfortunately for them the fog was too thick for them to continue on, so they stayed at the Center for a few days. During that time I learned that Nikki was a coordinator. I was really interested in it, and once I was fully healed I asked her to let me come along, and here I am.)"

"(Man, that's quite the tale,)" Growlithe commented.

"(And it's all true,)" Vulpix stated. "(How about you? How did you come to be a part of the family?)" As soon as he was asked that Growlithe's expression was saddened a bit.

"(My old trainer… abandoned me,)" he said.

"(He what?)" Vulpix gasped, not believing what she just heard.

"(He abandoned me,)" Growlithe repeated. "(He left me behind at the Pokémon Center in Lunick Town.)"

"(But why? Why would he do something like that?)" Vulpix wondered.

"(Because in his eyes I was a weak and worthless Pokémon,)" Growlithe answered. "(The Nurse Joy there took care of me, and things were going great. Then one day Ash and Nikki came and found me there. After they heard my story they both agreed to stay there to spend some time with me. Then, a few days later, my old trainer entered the Pokémon Center. Let me tell you, it took every bit of self-control I had to not roast him right then and there with my strongest Flamethrower.)"

"(I can imagine,)" Vulpix commented. "(What happened next?)"

"(Ash challenged him to a battle and said he and I would defeat him, which we did,)" Growlithe stated, sticking his chest out. "(After that I asked to join him and he captured me, and the rest as they say… is history.)"

"(Wow… looks like we both had it a bit rough before we met Ash and Nikki,)" Vulpix observed. By then everyone had finished their food. Ash and Nikki were busy cleaning up, but paused to let the Pokémon know they had the rest of the day to themselves.

"You guys can take it easy. You've all earned it," Ash said. A chorus of joyous cries filled the air as the Pokémon set off to have some fun.

"(Say, you want to take a walk with me?)" Vulpix offered.

"(Alright,)" Growlithe agreed. The two Fire types headed towards the forest. As they left Ash called out to them.

"Be careful out there," he said.

"(We will,)" the two replied before disappearing into the forest. Out of the corner of her eye Nikki saw them leave. A smile appeared on her face as she thought about what this could lead to for the two of them.

* * *

The forest had a very peaceful feel to it, the only disturbances being the native Pokémon scurrying about. To Vulpix and Growlithe this was just the peaceful atmosphere they needed.

"(I could just lose myself here,)" Vulpix sighed.

"(I know what you mean. If I was a wild Pokémon I wouldn't mind living here,)" Growlithe admitted. "(On the flipside, though, nothing beats traveling with Ash, Nikki and the others.)"

"(I agree,)" Vulpix said. "(So, what goals are you aiming for?)"

"(Goals? Well… if I had to set a goal for myself it would be to prove to anyone who doubts my abilities that I am just as strong as any Pokémon they put in front of me,)" Growlithe explained.

"(Those are some ambitious goals,)" Vulpix commented.

"(Doesn't matter. Nothing's going to stop me from accomplishing them,)" Growlithe declared. As Vulpix listened to Growlithe she couldn't help but feel more and more attracted to him.

"_(Not only is he handsome, but he knows just what he wants in life and isn't afraid to go after it… oh Mew, I think I've fallen hard for him,)"_ she thought.

"(So what about you? Anything interesting about you?)" Growlithe inquired.

"(As a matter of fact, I fancy myself a storyteller,)" the Fox Pokémon admitted.

"(A storyteller?)" Growlithe commented, clearly intrigued.

"(That's right. You see, over the years I've developed a natural talent for telling stories that tend to capture the interest of whoever I tell it to. They're all made up, of course. Still, it makes me feel good whenever I see the look of excitement and wonder in the eyes of my audience,)" Vulpix explained.

"(And based on what I'm hearing am I correct in assuming these stories are intended for a younger audience?)" Growlithe inquired.

"(That's right, though I believe that I could tell a tale that would really get your tail wagging,)" she replied.

"(Really? In that case I need to be around the next time you tell one,)" Growlithe stated. The two of them continued walking, not caring where they ended up.

"(Well, well. What do we have here?)" Their peaceful walk was interrupted when a rather large Tangrowth blocked their path.

"(Umm… can we help you?)" Growlithe asked.

"(I don't know about helping, but what you can do is tell me what you're doing in my territory?)" he demanded. This was something neither Growlithe nor Vulpix knew.

"(Your territory?)" Vulpix questioned.

"(That's right. All the Pokémon in this forest know to stay out of my territory,)" the Tangrowth stated.

"(We're sorry for intruding, but we're not from here. We're here with our trainers,)" Growlithe explained. "(If it's alright with you we'll head on back now.)" The two Fire types, hoping to avoid any unnecessary confrontation, turned to go back the way they came.

"(Not so fast!)" the Tangrowth bellowed. He snapped his fingers, summoning two Tangela who blocked Growlithe and Vulpix's escape.

"(Uh-uh. The Boss didn't give you permission to leave yet,)" one Tangela said.

"(That's right. You can leave when he says you can,)" the second Tangela added. With their way out blocked the two Fire types turned back to the Tangrowth.

"(You're not getting off that easily. If you want to leave here then one of you is going to have to defeat me in a battle,)" he declared.

"(A battle?)" Vulpix said.

(That's right, and if you manage to beat me I'll let you go free,)" the Tangrowth said.

"(Look, we're not interested in a battle. We just want to be left in peace,)" Growlithe explained.

"(I don't recall giving you a choice in the matter,)" the Tangrowth declared. "(Either you battle me or neither of you are leaving here.)"

"(And if we refuse?)" Growlithe retorted. Without saying a word the Tangrowth nodded, which was a signal for the Tangela to spring their trap.

"(H-Hey! Let go! Growlithe, help m-mfph!)" Growlithe spun around only to find the Tangela had used their vines to tie up Vulpix. Her legs were bound to keep her from running way and her mouth had been tied shut, preventing her from crying for help. The Fox Pokémon struggled and squirmed, but she could not free herself.

"(Vulpix!)" Growlithe shouted. Seeing the predicament she was in he turned around to face the Tangrowth, glaring at the Vine Pokémon.

"(Let her go right now!)" he barked.

"(Only if you beat me in a battle!)" the Tangrowth repeated. Growlithe didn't want to fight him, but looking back at Vulpix he knew he had no choice in the matter.

"(You want to battle? Fine,)" Growlithe reluctantly agreed. "(Just make sure you keep your word to let us go when I beat you.)"

"('If'. 'If' you beat me,)" the Tangrowth corrected. Vulpix looked on, unable to do anything.

"_(Growlithe…)"_ she thought. The two combatants stared at each other, each waiting to see who would make the first move. After a few tense moments the Tangrowth went on the attack, lashing out with Vine Whip. Growlithe easily dodged the attack and countered with Flamethrower. That attack was easily countered by the Tangrowth's Ancient Power.

"(Darn!)" Growlithe growled.

"(You didn't think you'd have it easy just because you have a type advantage, did you? I've learned to overcome my weaknesses over the years,)" the Tangrowth stated. Growlithe cursed his misfortune. He was banking on using his type advantage to score an easy win, but seeing that Tangrowth had accounted for that made this much harder than he wanted.

"_(If I can't use my type advantage to win then maybe I can use a bit of trickery.)"_ The Puppy Pokémon quickly went into Double Team, creating multiple copies around the Tangrowth.

"_(Okay, let's see how he deals with this,)"_ Growlithe thought. The Vine Pokémon remained immobile, which left Growlithe both confused and concerned.

"_(Why isn't he doing anything? Is he just giving up?)"_ Growlithe wondered. Though he didn't know what, or even if, the Tangrowth was planning anything he didn't have the luxury to wait on him. With that in mind he activated Flame Wheel. Not only was he engulfed in the attack but so were each of the copies, giving the impression that the attack could truly be coming from anywhere.

"(Not a bad tactic,)" the Vine Pokémon commented. "(Unfortunately for you it's not good enough!)" Immediately after that multiple vines shot out from his body, each one striking a different Growlithe. The copies were all broken up and the real Growlithe was knocked off course. The Puppy Pokémon crashed to the ground, dazed by the impact.

"(Time to end this!)" the Tangrowth declared. Before Growlithe could recover he wrapped a vine around the Puppy Pokémon's leg, hoisting him into the air before slamming him down hard. He then lifted him up again and slammed him back to the ground, this time with more force. He repeated this numerous times, each one more forceful than the last. With each hit Growlithe took Vulpix's concern for him grew, pushing her to the brink of tears.

"_(Please… Please make him stop!)"_ she silently pleaded. After a few minutes the Tangrowth threw Growlithe against a tree, watching as the Puppy Pokémon crumpled to the ground.

"(Come on! Is that all you got!)" he bellowed. Truthfully Growlithe was spent. He had nothing left to give. The Tangrowth, as he feared, was too strong for him. He was considering submitting, but before he could he locked eyes with Vulpix. As he looked her in her eyes he could see the fear they held. He could also see something else… concern. Concern for him.

"_(No! I refuse to let her down! I will not be defeated here!)"_ Right then a new surge of power began to well up inside of Growlithe. Slowly he rose to his feet, surprising the Tangrowth.

"(Well now, it seems as though you still have some fight left in you,)" he commented.

"(You… won't beat me. I have… too much… riding… on this battle,)" Growlithe panted. Vulpix silently cheered. Even if it was on shaky legs Growlithe was standing.

"(Is that so? In that case let's get it on!)" The Tangrowth lashed out with Power Whip, but Growlithe quickly ducked underneath it and charged, his body becoming enveloped in Flame Wheel once again. Unlike last time, though, he was moving much faster, which left the Tangrowth with little time to counter.

"(What the? How did he get so fa… ACK!)" Before he could finish he was struck by Growlithe's Flame Wheel and knocked to the ground. He got up shortly after, but was visibly shaken by Growlithe's attack.

"(I'm just getting warmed up!)" the Puppy Pokémon barked. Once again he activated his Double Team, surrounding the Tangrowth with multiple copies of himself.

"(That didn't work last time and it sure won't work now!)" the Tangrowth declared. He once again used Power Whip, dispelling all the Growlithe copies until there were none left. What surprised him, though, was the fact that the real Growlithe was nowhere to be seen.

"(What? Where is he?)" the Tangrowth gasped.

"(Boss! Above you!)" one of the Tangela warned. The Vine Pokémon looked up in time to see Growlithe plunge down on top of him with another Flame Wheel. Vulpix's optimism grew with each successful attack Growlithe landed. She knew that the momentum had shifted in Growlithe's favor, which meant that he was mere moments away from winning.

"(Time to end this battle!)" Growlithe declared. He took a deep breath and let loose a massive Flamethrower, one much stronger than the one from earlier in the battle. The Tangrowth countered by launching his Ancient Power attack. The two attacks crashed into each other, but unlike last time Growlithe's Flamethrower quickly overpowered the Ancient Power.

"(No!)" the Tangrowth screamed right before he was engulfed in the massive Fire attack.

"(Boss!)" the Tangela shouted. The Flamethrower dispersed after a few seconds, but by then the damage had already been done. The Tangrowth, having been struck with three high-powered Fire attacks, fell to the ground in defeat.

"(N-No way…)"

"(The Boss… lost?)" While the Tangela were dumbfounded Vulpix was ecstatic. Even when things looked bad Growlithe fought through and had now won her freedom.

"(Now… a deal's a deal… let her go,)" Growlithe demanded. Despite his demands the Tangela remained still.

"(I said let her go!)" he repeated, this time with more force.

"(H-Hey! We don't answer to you!)" one Tangela declared.

"(That's right!)" the second agreed.

"(No… but you do answer to me.)" To everyone's surprise the Tangrowth had gotten back to his feet.

"(Alright! The Boss is back in the game!)" the first Tangela cheered.

"_(Oh man… I don't have the strength to go another round with this guy,)"_ Growlithe thought.

"(Now you're gonna get it! Just say the word, Boss!)" the second Tangela said.

"(Alright… let her go.)" This was not the response anyone was expecting, especially not the two Tangela.

"(W-What did you say?)" one of them questioned.

"(I said let the Vulpix go,)" the Tangrowth repeated. "(Like he said… a deal's a deal. He beat me fair and square, so the Vulpix goes free.)"

"(B-But Boss…)"

"(I said let her go… NOW!)" His booming voice echoed all around them, scaring the Tangela into doing as he commanded. Within seconds their vines had been retracted and Vulpix was freed. Though she wanted to celebrate her freedom her first concern was Growlithe. As quickly as she could she ran to his side.

"(Are you alright?)" she asked.

"(Never mind me… are you okay?)" Growlithe responded.

"(I'm fine, but you look like you're out on your feet,)" Vulpix commented. True to her words Growlithe's body was covered with minor scrapes and his fur was a bit messy.

"(To be honest I can't remember the last time I felt this sore,)" the Puppy Pokémon revealed.

"(I may have something for that,)" the Tangrowth said. He tossed something at Growlithe. The object landed at his feet.

"(A berry?)" Growlithe questioned.

"(An Oran Berry. It'll restore your strength,)" the Tangrowth explained. Growlithe was aware of the healing properties of Oran Berries, but at the same time he was a bit cautious about the one the Tangrowth tossed him.

"(Don't worry. It's safe,)" the Tangrowth said. "(The battle's over so I don't have a reason to try and trick you.)" Growlithe was still skeptical, but one look at the Tangrowth's eyes revealed that the Vine Pokémon was speaking the truth. With that in mind Growlithe ate the berry. Immediately he felt his strength returning to him, and within seconds he felt as though the battle with the Tangrowth never happened.

"(Ah, much better,)" he stated.

"(I'm so glad you're alright now,)" Vulpix sighed. At that moment the Tangrowth approached them, the Tangela on each side of him.

"(I've battled against hundreds of Pokémon over the years, and I have to say you're tougher than all of them,)" the Vine Pokémon commented. "(Even when it seemed like you were going to lose you kept fighting.)"

"(I had to,)" Growlithe replied. "(There was too much at stake for me to give in. I had to win no matter what.)" As he said this Vulpix listened intently, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"(I see,)" the Tangrowth said, stealing a glance at Vulpix. "(You know, you two are very lucky to have each other.)" Somehow Vulpix's blush became even redder than it already was.

"(In any case you won the battle, so you two are free to go,)" the Tangrowth said. Both he and the Tangela stepped to the side, allowing Growlithe and Vulpix to pass.

"(Thank you,)" Vulpix said. The Tangrowth nodded as the two Fire types continued on deeper into the forest.

* * *

An hour after their encounter with the Tangrowth Growlithe and Vulpix stumbled upon a lake nestled deep in the forest.

"(Oh my… it's so beautiful,)" Vulpix gasped. Growlithe had to agree with her. Thanks to the now setting sun the lake shone with an orange glow, adding to the already serene feeling it was giving off.

"(I could sit here for hours,)" Vulpix said.

"(I know what you mean. It's very peaceful here,)" Growlithe agreed. They sat there in each other's company for a bit, neither one saying anything.

"(Growlithe… thank you…)" The Puppy Pokémon glanced at Vulpix upon hearing her words of thanks.

"(For earlier, I mean,)" Vulpix explained. "(Honestly I didn't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't defeated that Tangrowth.)"

"(He wouldn't have. I wasn't going to let him,)" Growlithe replied.

"(I know you said there was too much at stake for you to lose. What… What did you mean by that?)" Vulpix inquired. Before answering Growlithe gazed out at the lake.

"(I couldn't lose… because it would be you who would pay the price. I didn't… I couldn't let anything happen to you. No matter what I had to protect you,)" Growlithe explained.

"(Is that what pushed you to win? Your need to protect me?)" the Fox Pokémon wondered.

"(That, and what I saw when I looked in your eyes,)" Growlithe explained. "(I could see how concerned you were for me, and how scared you were that I would lose. I also saw how concerned you were for me and for my safety. It was at that moment that I told myself I couldn't lose.)"

"(You didn't want to lose… because of me?)" Vulpix asked.

"(As strange as it sounds yes. If I had I felt like I would have let you down… and I don't know what I would have done if I did,)" Growlithe said. The fact that Growlithe fought so hard not only to save her but not to disappoint her only made her admire him even more.

"(I had no idea. To think that I was the motivation for your comeback,)" she commented.

"(I don't know why, but I feel a… connection between us,)" Growlithe said.

"(That's natural. We're friends, after all,)" Vulpix said.

"(It's more than that. There's a bond of friendship between me and all the other Pokémon, but with you I… I feel it goes deeper than that,)" Growlithe revealed.

"_(D-Deeper?)"_ Vulpix thought.

"(Call me crazy, but there are things I'd do for you that I wouldn't do for any of the others, risks I'd take only for you. It's strange, but I feel… compelled to always be there for you,)" Growlithe said. "(I don't know what it is, but…)"

"(You don't have to say anymore,)" Vulpix interrupted, putting an end to his rambling. "(I know what you're trying to say.)"

"(You… do?)" Growlithe asked.

"(I do, and I'll wait as long as it takes for you to say it.)" Growlithe didn't know what she meant, but before he could ask her Vulpix leaned into him, placing her head in the crook of his neck. Growlithe was surprised by this, but after a while it began to feel right. He glanced at the Vulpix leaning against him, a smile appearing on his face.

"_(I'll always be here to protect you. I promise.)"_ He then gazed out back at the lake, his thoughts on the Fox Pokémon at his side and what may come in the future.

* * *

"It's getting late and Growlithe and Vulpix aren't back yet," Ash commented. The sun had nearly set completely and the two Fire types had not returned yet.

"I know. I hope they're alright," Nikki said.

"We could always go look for them," Ash suggested.

"(That won't be necessary,)" Pikachu said. At that moment Growlithe and Vulpix emerged from the forest.

"Well now, you two stayed out late," Nikki commented.

"(Sorry. We lost track of time,)" Vulpix apologized.

"We're just glad you're both okay," Ash said. "Now, let's pack up and hit the road."

"I don't know about that, Ash. It's gotten real late," Nikki stated. "I say we camp here tonight."

"You sure?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah," Nikki confirmed. "In fact I was about to whip up something for us to eat."

"Need any help?" Ash offered.

"Sure. I could always use an extra pair of hands." While the trainers went off to prepare a meal for everyone Pikachu and Buneary questioned Growlithe and Vulpix about their walk.

"(So, what did you two get into?)" Buneary inquired.

"(Well, we had a rather unpleasant encounter with a Tangrowth,)" Vulpix answered.

"(What do you mean by 'unpleasant'?)" Pikachu asked.

"(During our walk we accidentally stumbled into his territory. We tried to leave, but the only way he'd let us is if we defeated him in a battle. We refused at first, but then he called out a pair of Tangela who took me hostage. Naturally Growlithe fought to save me, but the Tangrowth was proving to be too strong for him. Then, when all seemed lost, he looked into my pleading eyes and got an amazing surge of strength that helped him defeat the Tangrowth and win my freedom,)" Vulpix told.

"(Wow. That was quite the tale,)" Buneary commented.

"(Almost sounds like one of your tall tales,)" Pikachu added.

"(Normally you'd be right, but this actually happened," Vulpix argued.

"(She's right. This is a true story,)" Growlithe confirmed.

"(Seriously? Man… it's still hard to believe,)" the Mouse Pokémon admitted.

"(If I hadn't been there I don't think I would have believed it was true either,)" Growlithe commented.

"(Well I for one am glad you were there,)" Vulpix said. Then, in a move that caught Growlithe completely by surprise, she leaned over and kissed him on his cheek.

"(Thank you for being there,)" she whispered in his ear. Growlithe just stood there, too stunned to do anything. Vulpix scampered off, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"(I did not see that coming,)" Buneary commented.

"(Me neither,)" Pikachu agreed. "(What about you, Growlithe?)" The Puppy Pokémon didn't hear him. He was still in a state of shock because of the kiss.

"(Growlithe? You still with us?)" Pikachu called. He waved his paw in front of Growlithe's face, snapping him back to reality.

"(Huh? What?)" he stuttered.

"(That kiss really had you in a trance,)" Buneary said.

"(Yeah. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were falling for Vulpix,)" Pikachu joked. Even though Pikachu meant it as a joke that comment got Growlithe thinking.

"_(Is that it? Is that why it felt so good when she rested her head against me at the lake?)"_ he wondered.

"Okay, gang! Dinner's ready!" Nikki called.

"(Alright! Let's eat!)" Pikachu cheered. As the Pokémon gathered to eat Growlithe continued to think about Pikachu's comment.

"_(Am I falling for her? I mean, she is cute an all. Who knows. Maybe I am,)"_ he thought. Rather than continue to dwell on it at the moment Growlithe pushed it to the back of his mind and focused on the meal Ash and Nikki had prepared for them.

* * *

Once everyone had finished their meal they decided to turn in for the night. Rather than return the Pokémon back to their Poké Balls Ash and Nikki decided to let them sleep under the stars. For that purpose a large blanket had been spread out for them to sleep on. Ash and Nikki had placed their sleeping bags next to the blanket.

"Let's get a good night's sleep so we can get an early start tomorrow," Ash said. A chorus of Pokémon calls followed as they all got comfortable.

"Night, Nikki," Ash said.

"Good night, Ash," Nikki replied. As trainer and Pokémon began to drift off to sleep Growlithe felt a presence next to him. Opening his eyes he saw a tuft of orange fur right in front of him. Looking to his side he saw Vulpix curled up right next to him. Memories of earlier in the day came back to him as he looked at her. As he stared Vulpix scooted closer to him, resting her body against his. Right then Growlithe smiled at her and put his head back down. As he began to drift off he came to a conclusion...

"_(No doubt about it… I've fallen for her…)"_

* * *

A harmless walk and a hostile encounter have proven to be the beginnings of a relationship between Ash's Growlithe and Nikki's Vulpix. With their feelings for each other growing how woll this help them in their future challenges? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for** **Power**!

Please review


	27. ReIgniting the Flame

I hope everyone's enjoying the holidays. Here's to a great 2012!

**Chapter 27: Re-Igniting the Flame**

With his Gym battle in Treetop Town growing closer with each step Ash knew he had to have his Pokémon in top shape, which is why they had decided to stop for a quick training session next to a small lake. Because he hadn't had much training lately Ash was having Quilava battle Donphan. The rest of Ash's Pokémon were out of their Poké Balls and were training on their own. Pikachu was paired with Totodile while Absol was paired with Ivysaur. Nikki and Buneary stood on the sidelines to observe.

"Okay, guys. Let's get in some quick practice battles," Ash instructed. All the Pokémon responded with various calls as they began their practice battles.

"Quilava, you'll be battle with me against Donphan," Ash said.

"(Sounds good to me,)" the Volcano Pokémon responded.

"(Me too,)" Donphan agreed.

"Alright then, let's get started!" Ash shouted. Donphan decided to make the first move, charging towards Quilava using Take Down.

"Use Smokescreen!" Ash shouted. A thick cloud of smoke poured from Quilava's mouth shortly after, obscuring Donphan's vision as well as putting an end to his attack.

"Now use Swift!" Ash instructed. A barrage of yellow stars flew from the Smokescreen and pelted Donphan, catching the Armor Pokémon by surprise.

"(How do you like that? Not too bad, huh,)" Quilava bragged as the Smokescreen dissipated.

"(I'll admit you surprised me with that one, but it won't happen a second time!)" Donphan bellowed. He then curled into a ball and rolled towards Quilava.

"Counter with Flame Wheel!" Ash shouted. Quilava also curled into a ball and then wrapped himself in flames before speeding towards Donphan. As the Flame Wheel and Rollout attacks continued on their inevitable collision Absol's instincts kicked in.

"(Hey, what's wrong?)" Ivysaur questioned. The Disaster Pokémon didn't respond and turned his gaze towards Quilava and Donphan's battle, seeing the two attacks on a collision course.

"(No! Stop the attacks!)" he barked. His warning, unfortunately, came too late. The two Pokémon hit head-on with Donphan clearly possessing the strength advantage. Quilava flew through the air and fell into the lake, quickly disappearing beneath the water.

"No, Quilava!" Ash shouted.

"We have to help him!" Nikki yelled. Upon hearing the trainers' panicked cries the rest of the Pokémon ceased their battles and ran towards the lake. Air bubbles towards the center of the lake were the only indication of Quilava's whereabouts.

"We have to get him out!" Nikki shouted.

"Right! Let's go, Totodile!" The normally jovial Pokémon was all business as he and Ash dove into the lake.

"Good luck, you two," Nikki silently said.

* * *

As soon as they were below the water's surface Ash and Totodile went to work trying to locate Quilava. Their only lead were the bubbles they spotted, and Ash soon discovered they were easier to see on the surface than underwater.

"_Come on… where are you, Quilava?"_ Ash wondered.

"(Look!)" Totodile shouted, pointing further down. Squinting Ash could barely make out what looked like a small limp body.

"(I think that's him!)" Totodile stated. With a nod Ash instructed him to swim further down. The Big Jaw pokémon dove deeper down, Ash swimming right next to him. The two of them soon reached the body, confirming what they first believed.

"_It is Quilava!" _Ash thought. _"We have to get him, back to the surface."_ He grabbed the Volcano Pokémon and instructed Totodile to begin swimming back to the surface. As the two ascended Ash prayed that he and Totodile had gotten to Quilava in time.

* * *

Back on the surface Nikki and the rest of the Pokémon anxiously waited for Ash and Totodile to return, hopefully with Quilava. They hadn't been underwater for long, but the fact that Quilava was a Fire type worried them greatly.

"I hope they get back soon. The longer Quilava is underwater the more danger he's in," Nikki fretted. Standing next to her was Donphan, who was feeling guilty about the situation.

"(I never should have used Rollout,)" he said, his eyes filled with worry. Seeing this Nikki placed a comforting hand on his head.

"No one's blaming you, Donphan. Accidents happen, especially during battles," she said.

"(Besides, Ash and Totodile will save him. Just you watch,)" Pikachu reassured him. Right then, as if on cue, Ash and Totodile resurfaced with Quilava.

"Ash!" Nikki exclaimed. She and the Pokémon all backed up as Ash carried Quilava onto dry land.

"How is he?" Nikki asked. One look at Quilava told them what they needed to know. He was still unconscious and his fur was completely soaked and his breathing was heavy.

"He's not looking too good," Ash commented. Nikki placed her hand on his forehead.

"He's burning up, and not in a good way," she gasped. "He needs medical attention, and fast."

"In that case we need to get him to a Pokémon Center. Where's the closest one?" Nikki took out the map and quickly scanned it for the closest Pokémon Center to their location.

"Okay, so we're here… and the closest Pokémon Center is… oh boy."

"What is it?" Ash wondered.

"The closest Pokémon Center to us is here," she said, pointing to the next town on the map. "Even if we rush it's still at least a day or two away on foot."

"That'll take too long. Quilava needs help now," Ash said. "If only I hadn't sent Pidgeot to Professor Oak's lab. Then we could have flown there easily."

"Yeah," Nikki agreed. With that option not available Nikki realized there was only one way to help Quilava now.

"I'll treat him myself," she announced.

"Can you?" Ash wondered.

"I have treated sick Pokémon before, granted it was with my mother's help," Nikki admitted.

"Even so we don't have any other option. Please Nikki, do whatever you can to help Quilava," Ash pleaded. The desperation in Ash's voice came across loud and clear, and though she knew there was no need to ask Nikki agreed to help Quilava.

"If I'm going to help him we need to see how bad his condition is," Nikki stated. She placed a hand on Quilava's forehead. As soon as she touched it her facial expression changed to a concerned one.

"That's a real nasty fever he's got," she commented. "We need to do something to bring that down."

"What should we do?" Ash asked.

"Well, before we address that fever we need to get him somewhere where he's not out in the open," Nikki suggested. With a nod Ash picked up his ailing Fire type and followed Nikki, their Pokémon following right behind them.

* * *

After searching for a while they group came upon a rather large tree. Using leaves to create a makeshift bed they placed Quilava at the base of the tree. After making sure he was as comfortable as possible they focused on their next task.

"So how do we bring down his fever?" Ash asked. Nikki brought her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment.

"Well, whenever we had a Pokémon come down with a fever my mother would make some medicine using Candyss Grass," she explained.

"Candyss Grass? What's that?" Ash inquired. Reaching into the backpack Nikki took out the first-aid kit her mother packed and retrieved the medical handbook from it. She then turned to the section about medicinal herbs and began searching for a picture of the herb they needed.

"There. That's Candyss Grass," Nikki said, pointing at one of the pages. The herb looked like a bushel of grass, only it was noticeably darker than normal grass and the tip had a slightly reddish tint to it.

"So all we have to do is find that and we can cure Quilava's fever, right?" Ash assumed.

"That's right. I just hope we can find enough of it," Nikki replied.

"How much do we need?" Ash wondered.

"To be safe we need as much as we can find," Nikki said.

"Okay, then. Let's start looking." Before Ash could begin searching Nikki stopped him.

"We can't all leave. Someone needs to stay here and keep an eye on Quilava," she said. "I'll go and look for some Candyss Grass." Though he wanted to help Ash agreed to let her search.

"At least take some of the Pokémon with you," he suggested. "Pikachu, I want you, Ivysaur and Absol to go with Nikki and Buneary. Donphan, Totodile and I will stay here with Quilava."

"Okay. We'll be back as soon as possible," Nikki said. "Alright, guys. Let's go."

"(Lead the way,)" Ivysaur said. Nikki led the four Pokémon in their search for Candyss Grass, leaving Ash, Donphan and Totodile to watch over the resting Quilava.

"(Think they'll be alright?)" Totodile asked.

"Nikki's more than capable of taking care of herself," Ash said. "And besides, she's got Buneary, Pikachu and the other Pokémon with her. They'll keep her safe." As Ash reassured Totodile about Nikki's safety Donphan stared at Quilava, a look of guilt plastered on his face. Despite what the others told him he still felt it was his fault Quilava was in the situation he was in at the moment. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Ash place a hand on his head. Looking up he saw his trainer smiling down at him.

"Don't worry. Quilava's going to come through this just fine," he reassured the Armor Pokémon. Though he still felt guilty Donphan nodded to let Ash know he understood before turning his gaze back to Quilava.

* * *

"How long have we been walking?" Jessie whined.

"Too long if you ask me," James replied. The Team Rocket trio had been following Ash and Nikki for a while before losing their trail and were now aimlessly wandering, hoping to find something that would set them on the right path.

"How do we even know the twerps came this way?" James questioned.

"We don't, now quit your whining," Meowth snapped.

"You don't tell me what to do!" Jessie yelled.

"Someone needs to!" Meowth argued.

"Come on, do we have to do this?" James begged.

"Yes!" Jessie and Meowth shouted. Before the two of them could get started with their argument again another set of voices caught their attention.

"Let's try looking here." Intrigued by the new voice the trio hid behind a nearby bush and peeked through.

"It's the twerpette," Jessie commented upon seeing Nikki and the Pokémon accompanying her.

"I wonder what she's doing here by herself," James said. They continued to watch as she and the Pokémon scoured the area. Eventually Pikachu approached her, carrying something in his paw.

"(Is this it?)" he asked. They watched as the Mouse Pokémon handed something to her.

"Yes. This is exactly what we need," she confirmed. "We need to find more of this."

"Find more of what?' James whispered.

"Remember, the more Candyss Grass we find the better," Nikki instructed. As she and the Pokémon continued their search Team Rocket wondered what exactly it was they were looking for.

"You guys have any idea what this Candyss Grass is supposed to be?" Meowth asked.

"No clue," Jessie replied. "How about you, James?"

"I vaguely recall learning about Candyss Grass when I was young," James recalled. "If I remember correctly it's supposed to be a medicinal herb used to help Pokémon suffering from fevers."

"If the twerpette is looking for that then that means one of their Pokémon must be sick," Meowth assumed.

"A perfect time for us to swoop in and snatch up the healthy ones," Jessie schemed.

"Then all we have to do is wait for her to lead us back to the rest of their Pokémon," Meowth added. With their plan set they remained hidden, waiting for Nikki to lead them to their goal.

* * *

"Okay, just a little bit more and we can head back." In the short amount of time they had been searching Nikki and the Pokémon found an abundance of Candyss Grass. Nikki, however, wanted to find just a little bit more before heading back to make sure they had enough to help Quilava.

"(Found some!)" Buneary called. The Rabbit Pokémon found some growing on the side of a steep rock wall.

"Good job, Buneary," Nikki praised. She approached the wall to pick it, but Absol stepped in front of her.

"(Wait. It may be dangerous,)" he warned.

"But we need that Candyss Grass," Nikki argued.

"(I'll get it,)" Ivysaur said. Making sure to keep a safe distance away he used Vine Whip to grab the herb. With one yank he pulled it away from the rock wall, but upon doing so he dislodged some of the rocks. Nikki gasped as she watched the rocks come crashing down, realizing that had she tried to get it herself she would have been crushed.

"Thanks, Absol," she said. The Disaster Pokémon nodded, acknowledging her thanks.

"Okay, we have enough now. Let's head back," Nikki announced. With their search for Candyss Grass done the group began to head back to where Ash and the others were waiting, unknowingly bringing along some uninvited guests.

* * *

"(Hey! They're back!)" Totodile shouted. It had been close to half an hour since Nikki and the other Pokémon left to go search for some Candyss Grass for Quilava. Upon reaching them Nikki and the Pokémon placed the Candyss Grass they gathered in a pile on the ground.

"Do we have enough?" Ash wondered.

"Definitely," Nikki confirmed. "Now we need to boil it. Ash, do you think you could go gather some firewood for me?"

"Sure thing," Ash said. While he went to gather firewood Nikki stayed behind to keep an eye on Quilava. Unknown to her, though, Team Rocket was spying close by.

"Well, it looks like that walking matchbox lost his flame," James commented.

"All the better for us," Jessie added. "With one less twerp Pokémon to deal with stealing the rest should be easy."

"And I know a way to make it even easier," Meowth announced.

"Oh, do tell," James requested. While Meowth went over the details of his plan with his companions Ash returned with some firewood. Minutes later Nikki had a fire going and was boiling the Candyss Grass.

"Oh man, that stuff reeks," Ash commented upon getting a whiff of the boiling grass's scent.

"Believe me, it doesn't smell half as bad as it tastes," Nikki stated. After a few more minutes of boiling the Candyss Grass medicine was ready. Nikki poured some into a bowl and brought it over to Quilava.

"Here, Quilava. Drink this," she instructed. Though he trusted Nikki the Volcano Pokémon still had to inspect the medicine. He sniffed it a couple of times and quickly turned away from the bowl.

"(It… stinks,)" he griped.

"I know it smells bad, but it'll help you feel better," Nikki pleaded. "Please, Quilava. You have to drink this." Though his nose told him one thing he knew that Nikki had his best interest in mind. He cautiously took a sip. Immediately his face scrunched up and he recoiled in disgust.

"(Yuck! It tastes even worse!)" he squeaked.

"I know it tastes bad, but I promise this will get you back on your feet in no time," Nikki promised. Every fiber of Quilava's being was pleading with him not to take any more of that medicine, but he knew Nikki was telling the truth. Even though it smelled terrible and tasted even worse Quilava drank the rest of the medicine, much to the relief of Ash and Nikki.

"There. Now all you need is some rest," Nikki stated. Now that was something Quilava had no problem with. Laying his head back down he closed his eyes and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

"How long do you think it'll take for the medicine to work?" Ash wondered.

"I don't know. The medicine is supposed to help, but to be honest I'll feel a lot better getting him to a Pokémon Center as soon as possible," Nikki replied. Ash nodded, agreeing with her. A short while later they heard what sounded like a siren echoing through the woods.

"What is that?" Ash wondered. Then, as if on cue, an ambulance drove into the clearing. After coming to a stop two EMTs, a man and a woman, stepped out and approached them.

"Remain calm. We're here to help," the woman announced.

"Umm… okay. But how did you know we needed help in the first place?" Ash asked. Rather than answer his question they approached the now-awake Quilava.

"We need to isolate this Pokémon," the woman said. She motioned for the ambulance. The vehicle backed up a few feet before coming to a stop. The man then opened the back doors.

"All the healthy Pokémon need to enter the ambulance," he instructed.

"The healthy ones? Why them?" Ash wondered. The two EMTs seemed to become slightly nervous when asked that, but it went unnoticed by Ash and Nikki.

"Well… they'll be… easier to move than the sick Pokémon," the man responded.

"And we really shouldn't move the sick one yet," the woman added. They hoped their answers would satisfy the two trainers. Luckily for them it did as Ash and Nikki allowed them to continue to lead their Pokémon into the back of the ambulance.

"Step lively, now. We don't want any of you to get sick as well," the woman urged. Now Nikki was really suspicious.

"Wait just a minute! What makes you think the rest of the Pokémon are going to get sick?" she asked.

"Look at that Quilava. It's clear he is sick, which means that the other Pokémon could get sick just from being close to him," the woman explained.

"And what makes you think Quilava's illness is contagious? Do you even know what's wrong with him?" Nikki inquired. The nervousness that went unnoticed earlier returned with a vengeance.

"Well… uh… h-he's suffering from… umm…"

"You really aren't EMTs, are you," Nikki accused.

"W-What? Of course we are!" the woman argued. The Pokémon, who by now were all gathered in the back of the ambulance, looked on with a bit of suspicion.

"I don't believe you!" Nikki retorted. "You're not acting like real EMTs!"

"If we're not EMTs then who are we?" the woman asked.

"You tell me!" Nikki challenged. At that moment a head popped out of the driver's side window.

"Forget it, Jess! We got the Pokémon, so let's scram!" he called.

"Jess?" Ash shouted. Before he and Nikki could make a move the EMTs jumped into the back of the ambulance with the Pokémon and shut the doors. Immediately after that the ambulance sped off into the forest.

"Hey! Get back here!" Ash demanded. He and Nikki started to give chase, but before they could get far a familiar Meowth-shaped balloon rose up from behind the trees. As it climbed higher they could see a cage hanging from the basket, and contained in that cage were their Pokémon.

"(Ash!)" Pikachu called.

"(Get us out of here!)" Buneary shouted.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Nikki yelled. Right then the EMTs appeared in the basket.

"I'm afraid not, twerpette," the woman said. The EMTs then cast off their disguises, revealing their real identities.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted.

"Let our Pokémon go now!" Nikki demanded.

"I think not," Jessie refused. "We went through a lot of work to steal them and there's no way we're going to give them back." Expecting that response Nikki grabbed her remaining Poké Balls.

"Then I guess we'll have to take them back!" she declared. "Shinx, Swablu, Vulpix, we need you!" She threw the balls and called on her remaining Pokémon. Before she could issue any commands three arms shot out of the basket, grabbed them and threw them into the cage with the rest of the Pokémon.

"No!" Nikki cried.

"And now we have all of your Pokémon!" Meowth taunted.

"(Not… quite!)" To everyone's surprise Quilava had managed to stand up despite his weakened state.

"Quilava, no! You can't battle in your condition!" Ash protested.

"(I… have to!)" the Volcano Pokémon argued.

"Ash is right. You need to rest," Nikki said.

"(If I don't battle them… they'll get away… with everyone,)" Quilava argued. During this Team Rocket looked on.

"While we'd love to see how this will turn out we really need to get going," Jessie said.

"Yeah. We've got some nice gifts for our boss," Meowth added. They began to pilot their balloon away, but were brought to a halt by a stream of fire.

"(I may be weakened… but I still have enough strength… to beat you clowns,)" Quilava spat. Jessie glared down at him, a Poké Ball in her hand.

"If that's how you want it then so be it!" she shouted. "Yanmega, teach him a lesson!" Her Poké Ball opened, releasing her Ogre Darner Pokémon.

"Steel Wing!" she ordered. Yanmega went into a high-speed dive, her wings glowing with Steel-powered energy. Seeing her coming Quilava let loose a Flamethrower. Because of his weakened state the Fire-type attack lacked both power and accuracy, making it easy for Yanmega to dodge and strike him with her Steel Wing. The weakened Quilava was hit hard and sent flying backwards for a few feet.

"Ancientpower!" Jessie ordered, wanting to keep the pressure on. Yanmega created an orb of Rock-type energy and hurled it at Quilava. The super-effective attack struck home, causing massive damage to the Volcano Pokémon.

"(Had enough?)" Yanmega taunted.

"(Not… on… your… life!)" Quilava replied, struggling to his feet.

Persistent little pest," Jessie commented. "Yanmega, use Sonicboom!" With one powerful flap of her wings Yanmega sent out a wave of air, striking Quilava and knocking him back to the ground.

"Keep it up!" Jessie shouted. Yanmega complied and sent out one Sonicboom after another, each one pounding Quilava.

"Quilava, no!" Ash shouted.

"Stop it! Can't you see he's too weak to fight back!" Nikki pleaded.

"We know. We just don't care," Jessie retorted. As Yanmega continued her assault Quilava struggled to find the strength he needed to fight back, but so far he was doing all he could to just withstand the Sonicboom barrage.

"(Just give it up! You're too weak to be of any use to them!)" Yanmega taunted. That one comment seemed to trigger something inside of Quilava, for at that moment the Volcano Pokémon fired a Flamethrower that struck Yanmega, ending her onslaught.

"(I'll… show you… who's too weak!)" he roared. Right then his body became engulfed in a white light.

"Oh no! Don't tell me he's doing what I think he's doing!" Jessie screamed.

"I'm afraid so!" James confirmed.

"Quilava's evolving!" Nikki gasped. As he continued to glow Quilava stood straight up. Moments later his body grew much larger. When the light faded away a loud roar filled the air.

"He evolved into Typhlosion!" Ash cheered. By now Yanmega had recovered and was ready to continue, but as soon as she saw her newly-evolved opponent she began to have second thoughts.

"(Now… you were saying something about me being too weak,)" Typhlosion growled.

"(Well… um… that is…)" Yanmega stuttered.

"(Let me show you… HOW WEAK I AM!)" With that the Volcano Pokémon let loose a massive Flamethrower, engulfing Yanmega and blasting her back into Team Rocket's balloon.

"No, not my Yanmega!" Jessie wailed.

"I can't believe this! I thought we had them for sure this time!" James griped.

"We're about to get something else!" Meowth screamed. Down below Typhlosion had curled into a ball, wrapped himself in flames and launched himself towards them. The trio screamed in fear as Typhlosion's Flame Wheel ripped through their balloon, causing it to explode.

"I thought he was too weak to fight!" Jessie griped.

"So did I! What happened?" James questioned.

"I'll give you one guess!" Meowth said.

"We're blasting off again!" the trio cried as they disappeared over the horizon. With the balloon now destroyed the cage holding Ash and Nikki's Pokémon plummeted towards the ground.

"No! The cage!" Ash shouted.

"It's going to crash!" Nikki screamed. As the cage continued to fall Typhlosion reversed direction and used his Flame Wheel to destroy the cage, allowing the captive Pokémon to land on the ground safely. With the danger now passed Ash and Nikki ran to their Pokémon.

"Is everyone alright?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu answered.

"(We're all fine,)" Buneary added.

"Thank goodness," Nikki sighed. "You have no idea how worried we were."

"Yeah, but at least everyone's safe now, thanks to Typhlosion," Ash commented.

"Thank you, Typhlosion," Nikki said. The Volcano Pokémon smiled at the praise he was receiving.

"Guess that Candyss Grass medicine worked," Ash assumed. At first glance the medicine appeared to have done its job, but moment later Typhlosion laid down on the ground.

"Typhlosion, what's wrong?" Ash asked, his voice slightly panicky.

"(If it's alright with you… I'd like to… get back… to… my… nap…)" With those final words the Volcano Pokémon drifted back to sleep. Ash, Nikki and the Pokémon couldn't help but smile. Ash reached out and gently pet the top of Typhlosion's head.

"You rest now, Typhlosion. You've earned it," he whispered. As Typhlosion rested Ash couldn't help but think about how this would affect the rest of his Legenda journey… and what this meant for future battles.

* * *

What started off as a bad situation turned out good as Quilava evolved into Typhlosion. What does this mean for Ash in the future? Will he be able to use Typhlosion in his next Gym battle? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	28. Toxified Training

**Chapter 28: Toxified Training**

"So this is treetop Town," Ash commented. Shortly after exiting the forest Ash and Nikki found themselves entering Treetop Town, the site of Ash's second Legenda League Gym battle.

"I can see where the place got its name," Nikki said. The town itself was part of the surrounding forest with many of the homes either built around the trees or in them.

"The people who live here must be real in-tune with nature," Nikki remarked.

"You can say that again," Ash agreed. As they gazed about the town they soon spotted the Pokémon Center.

"Come on. I still need to get Typhlosion checked up," Ash said. Remembering the predicament the Volcano Pokémon was just in the two trainers hurried to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

As soon as Ash and Nikki entered the Pokémon Center they gave their Pokémon to Nurse Joy for a check-up, Ash making sure to mention Typhlosion's ordeal from the forest. Nurse Joy promised to give them all thorough check-ups, giving Ash and Nikki time to make some phone calls.

"Oh Ash, it sound beautiful," Delia commented.

"It sure is, Mom. I've never seen anywhere like it before," Ash declared.

"One of these days Mimey and I are going to have to let you take us to all the places you've been to over the years. I'd love to see the different places you've traveled to," she sighed.

"Yeah. We could make it a family vacation," Ash suggested.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Delia agreed. "Well honey, you take care now."

"I will," Ash promised. As he hung up with his mother Nikki was finishing a phone call with her mother.

"I'll call you when we reach the next town," Nikki said.

"Okay, dear. Take care." With their phone calls done the two trainers headed towards the front desk, and not a moment too soon. Right at that moment a chime went off and Nurse Joy appeared from the back carrying two trays containing Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls. Pikachu and Buneary were riding on her shoulders.

"Your Pokémon are all in perfect health," she announced. "Also, Ash, your Typhlosion has made a full recovery."

"That's great. Looks like that Candyss Grass medicine you made did the trick after all," Ash commented.

"I'm glad. Who knows how bad it would have gotten if I hadn't remembered that," Nikki said.

"By the way, are either of you here to challenge the Gym?" Nurse Joy wondered.

"I am," Ash announced.

"Well, I should tell you that the Treetop Town Gym Leader only uses Grass types," Nurse Joy informed him.

"Grass types, huh. Looks like I'll have to bring over the others from Professor Oak's lab," Ash assumed.

"If they're anything like Ivysaur and Torterra then I'm sure you'll do great in the Gym battle," Nikki commented.

"They are," Ash confirmed as he once again sat down in front of a videophone. He dialed the professor's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello, Oak Research Lab." The person who answered the phone, though, wasn't who he was expecting.

"Tracey?" Ash questioned.

"Oh, hey Ash," Tracey said. "It's been a while. How are you?"

"I'm doing fine," Ash replied. Immediately after that Tracey spotted Nikki.

"You must be Nikki, Ash's new traveling partner," Tracey assumed. "I'm Tracey. Ash and I traveled through the Orange Islands."

"It's nice to meet you," Nikki greeted.

"Likewise," Tracey replied. "Now I'm sure you didn't call to chat about the good old days. What can I do for you?"

"I need to exchange some of my Pokémon for my Gym battle," Ash explained. "Is Professor Oak around?"

"No, he left on some trip. Said he had some huge project he needed to help a friend with," Tracey replied. "I can make the transfers for you."

"Sure," Ash said. Minutes later Ash had sent over Typhlosion, Totodile and Donphan in exchange for Bayleef, Sceptile and Torterra.

"Thanks, Tracey. Give my regards to Professor Oak," Ash said.

"Will do. Good luck in your Gym battle," Tracey replied. As the call ended Ash got up and headed for the door, Nikki following closely behind him. Once they were outside Ash grabbed four Poké Balls and tossed them.

"Come on out!" he called. From within the Poké Balls emerged Ivysaur, Bayleef, Sceptile and Torterra.

"Wow," Nikki commented. During this Sceptile walked over to one of the trees and reached up, breaking off a small twig. He then placed the twig in his mouth before leaning back against the tree. Nikki observed this with a puzzled look on her face.

"Does he always do that?" she asked.

"Every time," Ash answered.

"Well they all look strong," Nikki said.

"That they do." Turning around they spotted a young girl. She had short red hair that barely reached her shoulders and wore a green vest and a grass skirt.

"Are these your Pokémon?" she asked.

"Yes, they're mine," Ash answered. The group watched as she approached each Grass type and gazed at them. Her blue eyes seemed to light up as she studied each one.

"Oh, I'm just in love with your Pokémon," she gushed. "Would you be willing to trade one of them to me? Please?"

"Sorry, but I'm not trading any of them," Ash politely refused. "Besides, I need them for my Gym battle."

"You're here for a Gym battle, huh," the girl commented. "Well that changes things."

"How so?" Nikki wondered.

"My name is Fiona, and I am the Treetop Town Gym Leader," she declared. Ash and Nikki were shocked at first, but Ash quickly got over it and issued his challenge.

"If you're the Gym Leader then I challenge you to a Gym battle!" he declared.

"And I accept!" Fiona replied. "I'll be waiting for you at the Gym. Come whenever you're ready." With that she walked off, leaving Ash to prepare for his upcoming Gym battle.

"Oh yeah! Time to win badge number 2!" Ash cheered.

"Hold it, Ash. Don't you remember what happened last time you charged in to a Gym battle without a plan?" Nikki warned.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. That's why I'm going to come up with a plan right now," Ash stated. "Now, what should I focus on first?"

"(Maybe you should start by seeing what does and doesn't do well against Grass types,)" Buneary suggested.

"Good idea," Nikki praised. "I know Grass Pokémon are weak to Fire, Flying, Bug, Poison and Ice attacks but they resist Grass, Water and Ground attacks."

"In that case I need to see what attacks my Pokémon know," Ash said. He took out his Pokédex and scanned each of his Grass types, starting with Torterra.

"Let's see… Torterra knows Leaf Storm, Energy Ball, Earthquake and Rock Climb," Ash read.

"Three of those attacks aren't very good against Grass types. Rock Climb is the best attack he's got," Nikki commented. "What about the others?" Ash then scanned Sceptile.

"Leaf Storm, Quick Attack, Leaf Blade and Solarbeam," Ash said. "Not much better than Torterra's."

"You're right. Quick Attack is Sceptile's best option," Nikki said. Next was Bayleef.

"Her moves are a bit better. Body Slam, Razor Leaf, Vine Whip and Tackle," Ash commented.

"That is a bit better. You've got two good moves with her," Nikki agreed. "What about Ivysaur? What does he know?" Ash scanned Ivysaur, but what he saw didn't leave him with a good feeling.

"Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Solarbeam and Leech Seed. Nothing but Grass moves," Ash announced.

"That's not good. All of his moves are resisted by Grass types," Nikki commented. Hearing this Ivysaur hung his head.

"(Sorry, Ash. Guess I'll be more of a liability in the Gym battle than an asset,)" the Seed Pokémon sighed.

"It's not your fault, Ivysaur. I never thought there would be a point in time where you'd need to learn new moves," Ash said.

"(But now that he needs to how do we go about teaching him?)" Pikachu wondered.

"Not only that, but what should he learn?" Ash added. The group thought about this for a while before Nikki came to a realization.

"Hold on. Ivysaur is part Poison type, right? That means he should be able to learn some Poison type moves," she stated.

"(That's right! If he knew some Poison moves then he'd be your ace-in-the-hole!)" Pikachu exclaimed.

"If it's Poison type moves he needs to learn then I know just who to call on," Ash said. He then rushed back inside the Pokémon Center. While Ash was gone Ivysaur tried to think of what his trainer was doing. Before he could come to a conclusion Ash came back out clutching a Poké Ball in his hand.

"What was the rush for?" Nikki inquired.

"I had to make one more Pokémon exchange," Ash explained. He then tossed the Poké Ball in his hand into the air, calling out the Pokémon inside.

"(Ash!)" The next thing anyone knew Ash was being engulfed by an overly-excited Muk. Pikachu, thankfully, managed to get away from Ash before the Poison type pounced.

"I'm happy to see you too, Muk, but would you please get off me," Ash groaned.

"(Same old Muk,)" Pikachu sighed as Muk got off his trainer. Having never seen Muk before Nikki scanned him with her Pokédex:

**Muk, the Sludge Pokémon and the evolved form of Grimer. They love to gather in smelly areas where sludge accumulates, making the stench around them worse.**

"I'm going to make a wild guess and say that the reason you brought your Muk here is to help teach Ivysaur a Poison type move, right?" Nikki assumed.

"You got it. I figured that if anyone could help Ivysaur learn a Poison type attack it would be a Poison type Pokémon," Ash explained. "So, you think you can help, Muk?"

"(I'll give it my best shot,)" the Sludge Pokémon replied.

"That's all I ask," Ash said. "In the meantime I'll need to figure out battle strategies for everyone else."

"We'll help," Nikki offered.

"Thanks," Ash said. While they went to plan for the Gym battle Muk spoke with Ivysaur about the Gym battle.

"(Okay, so what type of Gym are you going up against?)" Muk asked.

"(A Grass type,)" Ivysaur answered. This left Muk a bit confused.

"(No offense but if you're going against a Grass type Gym then why not use a type that has an advantage like Flying or Fire?)" he wondered.

"(Ash has to use Grass types. It's how the League here is set up.)" Ivysaur then spent the next few moments explaining the rules of the Legenda League to Muk. When he was done the Sludge Pokémon had a shocked look on his face.

"(So let me get this straight… if Ash faces a gym Leader or Area Boss that uses Poison type Pokémon then he can only use Poison type Pokémon to battle them?)" Muk inquired.

"(That's it in a nutshell,)" Ivysaur confirmed. "(For that reason Ash needs me to learn Poison attacks so I can be more effective in the Gym battle.)" Muk took a moment to think.

"(There are plenty of Poison type moves I could teach you, but there's one in particular I know will be perfect,)" he said.

"(Really? What?)" Ivysaur inquired.

"(Sludge Bomb,)" Muk answered. "(It's one of the strongest Poison attacks there is.)"

"(You really think I can learn it?)" Ivysaur wondered.

"(I have no doubt that you can learn this,)" Muk declared. Things were sounding better and better for Ivysaur. However, one question still lingered in his mind.

"(How quickly do you think I can learn this attack?)" the Seed Pokémon inquired. Muk thought a bit before giving an answer.

"(Well… if things go well you'll be using Sludge Bomb by the end of the day,)" he replied. This further boosted Ivysaur's confidence.

"(Well what are we waiting for? Let's get to work!)" the Seed Pokémon declared.

"(Alright then,)" Muk replied. "(The first thing we need to work on is building up the attack. What you're going to need to do is focus the attack on one central point.)" To demonstrate what he was talking about Muk opened his mouth and gathered up a ball of sludge. He then spit it out, striking a rock 15 feet in front of them.

"(Wow…)" Ivysaur gasped. Muk then turned to Ivysaur.

"(Now you try it,)" he said. Still filled with confidence Ivysaur stepped up and prepared to try his luck.

"(Remember to gather enough sludge to form the attack before attempting to fire,)" the Sludge Pokémon instructed. With a nod Ivysaur began to power up the attack. Using his bulb as his focusing point he gathered the sludge together, forming it into a ball.

"(Good. Now aim for the rock and let it rip!)" Muk cheered. He aimed at the rock and let the attack fly. Unfortunately for Ivysaur the attack didn't travel far at all and ended up landing on top of his head.

"(Gah!)" the Seed Pokémon groaned as he shook the sludge off his head. "(What went wrong?)"

"(From what I could tell you didn't put enough force behind your attack,)" Muk observed. "(Let's try again.)" Again Ivysaur attempted to use Sludge Bomb, this time making sure not to repeat the mistake he had made previously. After gathering enough sludge for the attack he aimed at the rock and fired, putting more force behind it than last time. Unlike last time there was enough force to make the attack travel a fair distance, but shortly after being fired the Sludge Bomb broke apart, scattering in front of the two Pokémon.

"(Now what happened?)" Ivysaur groaned.

"(That time it looked like you put too much force behind it,)" Muk said. Ivysaur let out an annoyed sigh.

"(Nothing I do seems to work. I either don't put enough behind the attack or I put too much behind it,)" he complained. By this time Ash, Nikki and the rest of the Pokémon had returned.

"How's it going, guys?" Ash asked.

"(Not good,)" Ivysaur groaned.

"What's wrong?" Nikki wondered.

"(We can't quite get the execution right,)" Muk said.

"(That's an understatement. I'm either using too much power or not enough,)" Ivysaur explained.

"(That's quite a problem,)" Buneary commented. "(There's got to be something we can do to help.)" The group thought about it for a bit.

"(Maybe being in a battle would help,)" Pikachu suggested.

"That may work," Ash said. "What do you think, Ivysaur?"

"(If you think it'll help then I'll do it,)" the Seed Pokémon agreed. "(But… who would I battle against?)"

"(I'll face you,)" Muk announced.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked.

"(I'm the one trying to help him learn the attack, so it's only right that I be the one who faces him,)" the Sludge Pokémon explained.

"He's right, you know," Nikki commented. Ash had no arguments and allowed Muk to be Ivysaur's opponent. The two Pokémon stood apart, ready to begin their battle.

"Alright… begin!" Ash announced.

"(Get ready! Here I come!)" Ivysaur roared. He then sprang into action, firing a Razor Leaf volley at Muk. The Sludge Pokémon, though, simply brushed the attack off.

"(That's not good enough!)" Muk countered. He retaliated with Sludge Bomb, firing the sludge-powered attack at the Grass and Poison type.

"(Now, you do it!)" Muk instructed. Just like before Ivysaur powered up a Sludge Bomb, but the attack broke apart immediately upon the Seed Pokémon firing it.

"(Try again!)" Muk ordered. Again Ivysaur tried and again the attack failed.

"(It's not good! I can't get it right!)" Ivysaur groaned.

"(No! Don't you dare give up!)" Muk roared. He once again fired a Sludge Bomb at Ivysaur, this time making solid contact.

"(Don't you want to get stronger?)" Muk asked.

"(Of course I do!)" Ivysaur replied.

"(Then prove it to me!)" Muk challenged. He lunged forward, looking to deliver a Body Slam to Ivysaur. The Seed Pokémon was quick to react, though, and jumped out of the way. While Muk was regaining his bearings Ivysaur decided to try Sludge Bomb once again. Figuring that the ball of sludge wasn't large enough to be fired effectively Ivysaur tried gathering more sludge than he had, but before getting a chance to fire the attack the attack exploded.

"(You have to try harder!)" Muk shouted. Ivysaur continued to try and successfully use Sludge Bomb, but each tine something would go wrong.

"Things aren't looking too good," Nikki commented. "If Ivysaur can't get Sludge Bomb to work then what's going to happen in the Gym battle?"

"I don't know. All we can do is hope that Ivysaur can learn Sludge Bomb in time," Ash said. By now Ivysaur was running low on energy. Each failed attempt at Sludge Bomb left him weaker and weaker, while Muk had barely broken a sweat.

"(Come on! That's not everything you've got!)" Muk shouted. Ivysaur looked up at him, the Seed Pokémon breathing incredibly hard.

"(If you want to help Ash win his Gym battle then you'll need more power than this,)" Muk said. "(You do want to help him, don't you?)"

"(Y-Yes… I do…)" Ivysaur panted.

"(I don't believe you,)" Muk argued. "(Say it louder.)"

"(I want to help Ash,)" Ivysaur said.

"(Louder!)" Muk demanded.

"(I want to help Ash!)" Ivysaur repeated.

"(Say it like you mean it!)" Muk shouted.

"(I want to help Ash!)" Ivysaur roared. At that moment Ivysaur began to glow white.

"No way!" Nikki gasped. "Ivysaur's evolving!" Everyone looked on in awe as Ivysaur's body grew to incredible size. The bulb on his back also grew larger, blooming as it grew ever larger. A loud bellow echoed through the area as Ivysaur completed his evolution.

"He's a Venusaur now!" Ash cheered. He immediately took out his Pokédex and scanned his new Pokémon.

**Venusaur, the Seed Pokémon and the evolved form of Ivysaur. By spreading the broad petals of its flower and catching the sun's rays, it fills its body with power.**

"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed. "You've definitely got enough power to take on the Gym."

"(Yeah… especially since I can do this!)" Everyone watched as he took aim at Muk and fired a successful Sludge Bomb. Despite being a Poison type himself the power Venusaur put behind the attack caused Muk to cover up. Once the Sludge Pokémon let his guard down he saw Venusaur smirking at him.

"(Well now, that had some power behind it,)" Muk commented.

"(What do you expect? I had a great teacher,)" Venusaur replied, putting a smile on Muk's face.

"(Way to go, Venusaur,)" Sceptile praised.

"(We're all so happy for you,)" Bayleef said.

"(Looks like I'm not the only heavyweight Grass type here,)" Torterra remarked.

"Looks like you're ready for your Gym battle, Ash," Nikki commented.

"Not yet," Ash argued, catching everyone by surprise.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Nikki wondered.

"Well, if Venusaur can learn a new move then why not everyone else? The way I see it if everyone learns a new move we'll be that much more prepared for the Gym battle," Ash explained.

"That makes a lot of sense," Nikki said.

"(Yeah. Good work thinking ahead,)" Pikachu praised. With his suggestion being praised Ash turned to his Grass types.

"What do you say we get to work," he said. A chorus of Pokémon calls followed as the group got busy improving their chances at the Treetop Gym.

* * *

At the end of the day Ash, Nikki and the Pokémon were spent. They had spent the entire day training, and in their opinion things had turned out better than they had hoped.

"I'm telling you, Ash, if today's training was any indication your Pokémon are more than ready to take on Fiona and her Grass types," Nikki commented.

"I agree. I just hope they're physically ready for the battle tomorrow," Ash said.

"(I wouldn't worry about that. Nurse Joy said they'll be fighting fit in the morning,)" Pikachu reassured.

"Yeah, you're right," Ash agreed. "I guess all I can do is make sure I'm ready, and to do that I'll need a good night's sleep." With those final words he laid his head down and drifted off to sleep. Shortly afterwards Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary joined him. Tomorrow would be a big day for them.

* * *

Ash's Pokémon team received a much-needed boost in power in the form of Ivysaur evolving into Venusaur. With a new powerhouse on his team and new moves in his aresenal how will Ash fare in his upcoming Gym battle? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	29. Sowing the Seeds of Victory

**Chapter 29: Sowing the Seeds of Victory**

"Alright! Time for badge number two!" After getting plenty of rest the previous night Ash was pumped for his second Gym battle, and having his Pokémon receive a clean bill of health from Nurse Joy only fueled his excitement.

"No doubt about it, that second badge is as good as mine," Ash said.

"Normally I'd say you were acting a bit over-confident, but based on what happened yesterday I'd have to say things are looking good for you," Nikki agreed, recalling the training Ash and his Pokémon did the day before.

"(Even so don't get ahead of yourself or you'll be leaving without that second badge,)" Pikachu cautioned. Ash reached up and scratched Pikachu between his ears.

"Don't worry, buddy. I don't plan on letting that happen," he reassured his faithful Pokémon companion. Eventually the group found themselves standing in front of the Treetop Gym. From the outside it looked like a massive greenhouse.

"I guess the look makes sense. After all it is a Grass type Gym," Nikki assumed. As they stood there the front doors opened and Fiona walked out.

Hey there! I was wondering when you'd show," she greeted.

"Sorry if we kept you waiting," Ash apologized. Fiona simply waved it off.

"No trouble at all," she said. "So, I take it you're ready." At that moment Ash's competitive nature rose to the surface.

"You bet I am!" he declared.

"Alright then. Follow me." With Fiona in the lead Ash and Nikki entered the Gym. Very quickly something became apparent in the Gym.

"Whew… it sure is humid in here," Nikki commented while wiping sweat from her brow.

"Sure is," Ash agreed.

"That's so we can create the perfect environment for the plants and Grass type Pokémon contained inside the Gym," Fiona explained. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it." They continued walking for a short distance before Fiona came to a stop.

"Well, here we are," she announced. Looking up Ash and Nikki saw they had indeed arrived at the Gym's battlefield. Aside from the path they had walked to get there the entire field was surrounded by trees of all shapes and sizes, giving them the feel of being inside a massive forest.

"Just look at those trees. It almost makes you forget you're inside," Nikki commented.

"I know. That's one of the reasons I love it here," Fiona said. "So, how about we get to that Gym battle." As she headed to her side of the battlefield Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder to Nikki's.

"Make sure to cheer for us," Ash said.

"(I will,)" Pikachu replied.

"Good luck out there," Nikki wished. With a nod Ash took his spot in his trainer box. Nikki, Buneary and Pikachu had all retreated to a safe distance behind Ash.

"The Treetop Town Gym battle between the challenger, Ash of Pallet Town, and the Gym Leader Fiona is about to begin! Each trainer will use four Pokémon with only the challenger being allowed to make substitutions! Also, only Grass types are permitted! The battle will end when either trainer is out of usable Pokémon!" the referee announced.

"Good luck, Ash!" Fiona called.

"You too," Ash replied. With both sides ready the referee prepared to start the battle.

"Very well… Begin!"

"Now blossom, Vileplume!" Fiona called. She threw out a Poké Ball, calling on her first Pokémon.

"Torterra, I choose you!" Ash shouted, sending out his Continent Pokémon. As soon as Vileplume appeared Nikki scanned it with her Pokédex.

**Vileplume, the Flower Pokémon and an evolved form of Gloom. Vileplume has the world's largest petals. With every step, the petals shake out heavy clouds of toxic pollen.**

"Let us begin with Toxic!" Fiona instructed. From the large mushroom on his head Vileplume fired a purple liquid.

"Don't let that touch you, Torterra!" Ash warned. Despite his bulk Torterra managed to lean out of the way of Vileplume's Toxic. The Poison attack stuck the ground behind Torterra, creating a cloud of purple smoke.

"Oh man, that was too close," Ash commented.

"Bullet Seed!" Fiona refused to give Ash and Torterra any breathing room as she called out her next attack. As the seed-like projectiles closed in on Torterra Ash decided now was the time to try some new tactics.

"Stone Edge!" he called. Two rings of razor-sharp stones materialized around Torterra and began circling him. Then, with a loud bellow, he hurled them forth. The Stone Edge and Bullet Seed attacks collided, canceling each other out.

"Alright! It worked!" Ash cheered.

"Looks like all that training paid off," Nikki commented.

"(Way to go, guys!)" Pikachu praised.

"(Keep it up, you two!)" Buneary cheered.

"You heard them, Torterra! Let's keep up the pressure!" Ash urged. "Use Stone Edge!" Once again two rings of stones materialized and began circling around Torterra. Moments later they were sent hurtling towards Vileplume.

"Counter with Bullet Seed!" Fiona instructed. Just as Torterra had done before Vileplume used his Bullet Seed to cancel out Torterra's Stone Edge.

"Now use Toxic!" As soon as the Stone Edge and Bullet Seed were finished Vileplume spat out his Toxic again.

"Watch out!" Ash warned. Despite his warning Torterra was unable to dodge this time. The attack struck him in the face, covering him in a toxic purple cloud.

"Oh no! Torterra!" Ash panicked.

"You have to finish this battle quick, Ash! The longer it goes the worse the damage gets!" Nikki warned. Aware of this Ash knew whatever moves he made now had to count.

"Rock Climb!" he shouted. Torterra stomped on the ground, causing the ground beneath Vileplume to rise into the air. His claws extended shortly after that as he began his climb up the sloped side.

"That's it, Torterra! Just a little further!" Ash urged. Just when it looked like Torterra's attack would hit its mark he suddenly began to slow down.

"Torterra, what's wrong?" Ash called. As the Continent Pokémon came to a stop Ash noticed his breathing was quite heavy. It became clear right then and there what had happened.

"Toxic must be doing more damage right now than I thought!" he realized.

"Not only that, but that last attack used quite a bit of Torterra's power," Fiona informed him. "Sorry Ash, but this first battle is mine. Energy Ball!" Vileplume immediately gathered energy for his attack, forming a green ball with the energy.

"Get out of there, Torterra!" Ash shouted. Unfortunately Torterra was too low on energy to comply.

"Fire!" Fiona shouted. Vileplume let his attack go, striking the Continent Pokémon with a considerable amount of force. The blast sent Torterra crashing down the slope, the massive Pokémon finally coming to a stop at the base.

"Now finish him with Solarbeam!" Fiona instructed. Despite being indoors the roof of the Gym was made of glass, allowing the sunlight to pour in. Vileplume quickly gathered the necessary energy and fired the attack at the downed Torterra. That attack, combined with the damage he had already received in the battle, proved to be too much for Torterra to handle. He was knocked out rather easily.

"Torterra is unable to battle! Vileplume wins!" the referee announced.

"Oh man. She beat him without being touched even once," Nikki groaned.

"(And things were looking so good,)" Buneary commented.

"(Come on, it's still early in the battle. Ash can turn things around,)" Pikachu reassured them. _"(At least… I hope he can.)"_ As Ash recalled his defeated Torterra he began to think about what he should do next.

"_Fiona's a Gym Leader for a reason. She beat Torterra like it was nothing. I've got to make sure she doesn't score another quick knockout or I'll be in trouble."_ He grabbed his second Poké Ball and threw it out.

"Go, Sceptile!" As the Forest Pokémon took the field Fiona called for her next attack.

"Toxic!" Once again Vileplume spat the poisonous goo, intending on making Sceptile share Torterra's fate. Ash, though, had no intention on letting that happen.

"Quick Attack!" he called. Using his blinding speed Sceptile easily dodged Vileplume's Toxic and charged the Flower Pokémon, striking him hard in his midsection.

"Whoa! That's fast!" Fiona gasped.

"X-Scissor!" Ash shouted. Before Vileplume could recover Sceptile crossed his arms in front of him and slashed at Vileplume in an X-fashion. The quick series of attack left Vileplume unable to continue battling.

"Vileplume is unable to battle! Sceptile wins!" the referee announced, making it official.

"Alright! He tied it up!" Nikki cheered.

"(What did I tell you!)" Pikachu bragged. Fiona returned her defeated Pokémon and looked up at Ash, a smirk on her face.

"You surprised me with your Sceptile," she commented. "Now let's see how you deal with this! Now blossom, Shiftry!" As Fiona's next Pokémon took to the field Nikki took out her Pokédex and scanned it.

**Shiftry, the Wicked Pokémon and the evolved form of Nuzleaf. Shiftry lives quietly in the deep forest. It is said to create chilly winter winds with the fans it holds.**

"(This one may be tricky,)" Buneary commented.

"You're right," Nikki agreed.

"Let's start off fast, Sceptile! Use Quick Attack!" Ash wanted to keep his high-speed attack going, hence why he called for Sceptile's Quick Attack once again.

"Stop him with Leaf Storm!" Fiona instructed. Before Sceptile could get close enough he was pushed back by Shiftry's Leaf Storm. On top of that the leaves contained within the attack caused a bit of damage to Sceptile as well.

"Don't give up, Sceptile! Use Quick Attack again!" Ash called. Ash knew he couldn't let up, for the moment he did Fiona would assume control of the battle. He hoped that Sceptile would find success with his Quick Attack this time around.

"Dodge and use Aerial Ace!" Sceptile's attack once again missed as Shiftry jumped straight up to dodge. Then, using the height to his advantage, he dove down using Aerial Ace and struck Sceptile, sending the Forest Pokémon to the ground.

"Now follow up with Dark Pulse!" Fiona instructed. In Sceptile's current state Ash knew the Dark type attack would cause considerable damage, maybe even enough to put the Forest Pokémon down and out of the battle.

"Quick, counter with Solarbeam!" he shouted. Just as Fiona's Vileplume had earlier Sceptile used the abundant sunlight to quickly gather the energy he needed for his Solarbeam. The two attacks were launched simultaneously, meeting in the middle of the battlefield and creating a thick smoke cloud that prevented the two combatants from seeing each other. In Ash's mind this gave him the perfect opportunity to attack.

"Now, use X-Scissor!" he shouted. At that moment a smirk appeared on Fiona's face as she prepared her counter-attack.

"Jump and use Aerial Ace!" she instructed. Just like earlier Shiftry jumped into the air and prepared to use his attack, expecting to see Sceptile appear beneath him through the smoke cloud. What he didn't expect was to see Sceptile had done just as he had and jumped above the smoke cloud.

"(Peek-a-boo!)" he shouted. Shiftry was left wide-open, giving Sceptile the opportunity to strike the Wicked Pokémon with the super-effective Bug attack. Shiftry hit the ground hard, leaving him a bit dazed.

"Okay, Sceptile, use Quick Attack and combine it with X-Scissor!" Ash called. Being with Ash as long as he had Sceptile was well aware of Ash's strategy of combining two attacks to create a more effective result, so he was more than happy to do as his trainer had instructed. Using Quick Attack he accelerated down towards Shiftry. Then, as he neared his target, he crossed his arms in front of him and prepared X-Scissor.

"Hurry, intercept with Dark Pulse!" Fiona shouted. Shiftry tried to get a quick Dark Pulse off, but by then it was too late. With the added power from Quick Attack behind it Sceptile's X-Scissor was more than enough to knock Shiftry out of the battle.

"Shiftry is unable to battle! Sceptile is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Yes! Way to go!" Ash cheered. On the sidelines Nikki and the Pokémon were just as happy.

"Alright! Ash is ahead now!" Nikki cheered. Pikachu and Buneary danced around her feet, both of them happy to see things going Ash's way. With a word of thanks for his effort Fiona recalled her defeated Shiftry.

"I wasn't expecting this. Looks like I'm going to have to turn it up," she mused. She then grabbed her third Poké Ball and tossed it out.

"Now blossom, Ludicolo!" she called. A chubby Pokémon with a massive lily pad on his head appeared and started dancing.

"What's the deal with that Pokémon?" Nikki wondered. She took out her Pokédex and scanned him.

**Ludicolo, the Carefree Pokémon and the evolved form of Lombre. If it hears festive music, it begins moving in rhythm in order to amplify its power.**

"How's Ash going to deal with this one?" Nikki questioned.

"(We'll find out soon,)" Pikachu answered. As Ash looked out at his opponent he began formulating a plan.

"_Okay… Ludicolo is a Grass type, but he's also a Water type, which means that Sceptile's Grass attacks could work against him,"_ he thought. With that fact in mind Ash made the first move.

"Let's wrap this up in one hit, Sceptile! Use Solarbeam!"

"Not this time, Ash! Rain Dance!" Fiona said. Before Sceptile could gather the energy he needed for a Solarbeam Ludicolo called forth a rain cloud, effectively blocking out the sun and causing the battlefield to become drenched with rain.

"Oh man… so much for that plan," Ash griped. "Okay, use Quick Attack to close in on him!" With Solarbeam out of the question now Ash decided to go with the tried-and-true method of using speed to overwhelm his opponents. Unfortunately that too was thrown out, for just as Sceptile attempted Quick Attack he slipped in the mud and fell to the ground.

"Guess it's my turn now. Use Ice Punch!" Fiona instructed. Everyone but Fiona was shocked by how quickly Ludicolo moved as he delivered the super-effective Ice Punch. Though Sceptile wasn't defeated he was damaged very badly by the Ice type attack.

"How did he move so fast?" Ash wondered. Moments later Nikki had the answer.

"Ash, it's Ludicolo's Swift Swim ability! It lets him move faster under rainy conditions!" Nikki explained.

"Your friend's right," Fiona confirmed. "And now it's time for this battle to come to an end. Ice Punch!" With rain Dance still in effect Ludicolo used his Swift Swim to quickly close the distance between him and Sceptile in order to once again strike with Ice Punch. This time the Forest Pokémon didn't get up.

"Sceptile is unable to battle! Ludicolo wins!" the referee announced. And just like that the advantage Ash had gained was taken away. Still, he was proud of the effort Sceptile had put forth, and he made sure the Forest Pokémon knew this.

"Rest now. You did more than I could have asked for," Ash said as he returned him. "Now it's time for someone else to take up the slack." He grabbed a Poké Ball and sent out his next Pokémon.

"Venusaur, I choose you!" he shouted, sending out his Seed Pokémon.

"I was wondering when Ash would bring him out," Nikki commented.

"Oh wow! I didn't know your Ivysaur evolved!" Fiona gasped.

"He evolved while we were training yesterday," Ash explained.

"Just seeing him make me want to go out and catch my own Bulbasaur," Fiona stated. "For now, though, I'll have to be satisfied with defeating your Venusaur. Ice Punch, Ludicolo!" Just like before Ludicolo looked to take advantage of his Swift Swim and strike Venusaur before he could react, but just as he began his charge Rain Dance wore off and the skies cleared.

"Uh oh! Not good!" Fiona panicked.

"Now's our chance, Venusaur! Trip him up with Vine Whip!" Ash shouted. Now that Ludicolo was back to his original speed it was time for Ash and his Pokémon to go back on the offensive and regain control of the battle, and Venusaur did just that as he aimed his Vine Whip at Ludicolo's feet, effectively tripping him and causing the Carefree Pokémon to come to a crashing halt.

"Sludge Bomb!" Ash shouted. As Ludicolo was recovering Venusaur struck with Sludge Bomb. The Poison type projectile exploded in Ludicolo's face and sent the Carefree Pokémon tumbling back towards Fiona.

"Now finish with Razor Leaf!" Ash instructed. Victory was within their grasp as Venusaur launched his Razor Leaf volley. Due to Ludicolo's Water typing the attack did quite a bit of damage, more than the Carefree Pokémon could handle.

"Ludicolo is unable to battle! Venusaur wins!"

"Yes! Three down, one to go!" Nikki cheered.

"(Time to bring it home, guys!)" Pikachu urged, sensing that his trainer was on the verge of victory. Ash was also sensing that victory was near as he watched Fiona recall her defeated Pokémon. Moments later, though, she looked at him and smiled.

"I have to hand it to you, Ash. It's been a while since I've been pushed this far," she commented. "For that you've earned my respect."

"Thank you, Fiona," Ash said.

"However, it's going to take more than just earning my respect to win my Gym Badge," she declared. She then took out her final Poké Ball.

"I've been looking forward to using this Pokémon in a Gym battle, and now I finally get the chance," she declared. "Now blossom, Cacnea!" The Poké Ball opened and released a small cactus-like Pokémon.

"So her last Pokémon is Cacnea," Nikki commented as she took out her Pokédex.

**Cacnea, the Cactus Pokémon. It lives in arid locations. Its yellow flowers bloom once a year.**

"Don't let her small size fool you. Cacnea is one of my most powerful Pokémon," Fiona warned. Ash didn't need to be warned about a Pokémon's size hiding its true power. He had seen many trainers do that with his Pikachu. However, Ash was confident that Venusaur would be able to wrap this up quickly.

"Sludge Bomb!" he instructed. With the type advantage in his favor Venusaur unleashed his Sludge Bomb. As the poisonous blob soared towards Cacnea both trainer and Pokémon were confident this would end it.

"Counter with Sandstorm!" Fiona shouted. In a move that no one was expecting Cacnea summoned forth a massive Sandstorm. The attack completely blew away Venusaur's Sludge Bomb before continuing on to engulf the Seed Pokémon in its damaging vortex.

"Venusaur!" Ash shouted. Even though the attack wasn't causing that much damage what damage it was causing was slowly adding up, and Ash knew it.

"Try breaking free with Vine Whip!" Ash suggested. In an attempt to break free Venusaur utilized his Vine Whip to dispel the Sandstorm. Thankfully the tactic worked, freeing the Seed Pokémon from the damaging attack before things got too bad.

"Pin Missile!" Fiona instructed. From her arms Cacnea fired a barrage of needle-like projectiles at Venusaur.

"Block that with Vine Whip!" Ash countered. Before the Pin Missile could reach him Venusaur knocked it down with his Vine Whip, forcing Fiona to alter her gameplan.

"Try getting in close!" Fiona said. Cacnea sprang forward, charging towards the much larger Seed Pokémon.

"Stop her, Venusaur!" Ash shouted. Before Cacnea could get close Venusaur slapped her away with his vines. Though the attack didn't cause that much damage due to Cacnea's resistance to Grass attacks it did effectively stop her and send her sliding back towards Fiona.

"Well that didn't work," Fiona groaned.

"Try Sludge Bomb one more time!" Ash shouted. Once again Venusaur fired the poisonous blob from the bulb on his back.

"Let's try something different this time! Send it back with Needle Arm!" Fiona suggested.

"(Okay! I'll try!)" Cacnea agreed. She went into an intercept course, her arms giving off a pale green glow. Once she was close enough she swung with all her might, making solid contact with the Sludge Bomb and sending it back at Venusaur. He was so shocked by Cacnea's counterattack that he failed to defend himself from his reflected attack. The attack struck his face, temporarily blinding him.

"This is bad! Venusaur can't see to defend himself!" Nikki exclaimed.

"Hit him with Sandstorm before he can recover!" Fiona instructed. Once again Cacnea's swirling Sandstorm engulfed Venusaur, damaging the Seed Pokémon with swirling winds filled with small grains of sand.

"You have to break free, Venusaur! Try using Vine Whip again!" Ash shouted.

"Not this time! Turn it up, Cacnea!" Before Venusaur could attempt to break free Cacnea increased the force of her Sandstorm. The increased force meant increased damage, which Venusaur was suffering through.

"Now finish up with Pin Missile!" Fiona shouted. Cacnea seamlessly shifted from Sandstorm to Pin Missile, the attack striking Venusaur before he had a chance to mount a counterattack.

"No, Venusaur!" Ash cried. The constant barrage of attacks left the massive Seed Pokémon down for the count.

"Venusaur is unable to battle! Cacnea wins!" the referee announced. And just like that the momentum shifted right out of Ash's hands and back into Fiona's.

"It's all up to Bayleef now," Nikki commented as they watched Ash recall Venusaur.

"(In that case Ash should still have some kind of advantage,)" Buneary stated.

"(How do you figure that?)" Pikachu questioned.

"(Think about it… Bayleef is an evolved Pokémon while Cacnea isn't. That means Bayleef's attacks ill pack more power,)" the Rabbit Pokémon explained. As that moment Nikki and Pikachu realized she had a point. Bayleef's evolved state would give her attacks more power than Cacnea.

"(F-Fiona! It's happening!)" And that advantage was now slipping away. They could only watch as the familiar glow of evolution engulfed Cacnea. Her bulbous body grew taller, resembling that of a human. Her arms and legs also grew out. When Cacnea's evolution finally completed Fiona could barely contain her excitement.

"Oh my goodness! You finally evolved into Cacturne!" she squealed.

"That's not good," Nikki commented as she took out her Pokédex.

**Cacturne, the Scarecrow Pokémon and the evolved form of Cacnea. Packs of them follow travelers through the desert until the travelers can no longer move.**

"(That's a bit scary,)" Buneary commented.

"You said it," Nikki agreed. During this Fiona's excitement from Cacnea's evolution had yet to die down.

"Oh Ash, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day!" she gushed. "I've been praying that I'd find a trainer that was strong enough to help my Cacnea evolve into Cacturne, and now she has!"

"I'm happy for the two of you, but don't think that means I'm not going to try and win," Ash declared. At that moment the Treetop Gym Leader's demeanor went from jovial to serious.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," she announced. With Fiona ready to end the battle Ash sent out his last Pokémon.

"Go, Bayleef!" The Leaf Pokémon appeared, ready to do battle.

"It's all up to you, Bayleef!" Ash informed her. She turned and nodded, letting him know she understood.

"You know, it's a shame this battle is almost at its end," Fiona commented. "It's been fun battling you, Ash."

"I know what you mean. I've had fun battling you too," Ash agreed.

"But alas, all good things must come to an end," Fiona declared. "Pin Missile!" Because she was now evolved Cacturne was able to fire more projectiles with her Pin Missile, and each one was much stronger as well.

"Counter with Razor Leaf!" Ash instructed. With a flick of the leaf on her head Bayleef sent out a Razor Leaf barrage. The two attacks proved to be equal in strength as they canceled each other out.

"Sandstorm!" Fiona shouted.

"Protect!" Ash countered. Cacturne whipped up a powerful Sandstorm, but Bayleef's Protect was more than strong enough to keep the damaging attack at bay.

"Good job! Now use Body Slam!" Ash said. Having weathered the storm so far Ash felt confident on going on the offensive, and as Bayleef charged forward his confidence continued to grow.

"Dodge and use Needle Arm!" Fiona called. Right at the last second the Scarecrow Pokémon ducked to the side, effectively dodging Bayleef's Body Slam. Then, before the Leaf Pokémon could recover, she swung her arm and struck Bayleef in the face wither Needle Arm. The attack didn't cause a lot of damage, but it had its intended effect as Bayleef was forced back.

"Leech Seed!" Fiona said. Cacturne spat out a single seed from her mouth at Bayleef.

"Get out of the way!" Ash yelled. Bayleef was thankfully able to recover in time to dodge the incoming Leech Seed. The seed imbedded itself in the ground right behind Bayleef.

"Whew… that was a close one," Ash sighed. "Looks like you missed on that one."

"Who said I missed," Fiona remarked, a smirk on her face. Before Ash could ask what she meant vines sprouted from the ground where Cacturne's Leech Seed impacted. The vines immediately searched for something to attach themselves to. Unfortunately the nearest object was Bayleef. Before anyone knew what was going on the vines wrapped themselves around her hind legs, effectively immobilizing her.

"(Hey! Let me go!)" she demanded. She tried to kick the vines off, but they held strong.

"It's going to take more than that to get free," Fiona stated. "Unfortunately for you I don't plan on giving you the chance! Sandstorm!"

"Quick, use Protect!" Ash shouted. Again Cacturne sent a powerful Sandstorm in Bayleef's direction, forcing Ash and Bayleef on the defensive.

"Don't give them time to recover! Use Pin Missile!" As soon as Bayleef's Protect wore off Cacturne fired her Pin Missile. Since the Leech Seed made it impossible for her to dodge the only thing the Leaf Pokémon could do was try and endure the onslaught. That quickly proved to be easier said than done as each strike from the Pin Missile added to the collective damage Bayleef was receiving. By the time the barrage was over Bayleef could barely stand on her own four feet.

"Wow. I have to say I'm impressed," Fiona admitted. "Most Pokémon would have gone down in defeat after that, but your Bayleef is still standing."

"She's stronger than most," Ash bragged.

"Clearly, but I'm afraid that she's still going down," Fiona declared. "Pin Missile!"

"Use Protect!" Once again Cacturne fired her Pin Missile at Bayleef and Bayleef countered with Protect. Unfortunately for Bayleef she did not have the strength to maintain the Protect shield and it fell very quickly, leaving her at the mercy of Cacturne's assault.

"Hang in there, Bayleef!" Nikki urged.

"(Don't give up!)" Buneary added.

"(You can do it!)" Pikachu cheered.

"Please, Bayleef! Stay strong!" Ash called.

"_(Stay… strong…)"_ Out of everything Ash and the others were saying to Bayleef to urge her on those two words stood out the most. Ever since Ash first caught her back in Johto she prided herself in being one of the Pokémon that Ash could always count on no matter how bad the situation was. She never settled for being just good enough. She always wanted to go above and beyond her limits.

"_(I… I have to… stay strong… I have to stay strong. I have to stay strong!)"_ As she willed herself on she began to feel power welling up inside of her.

"(I have to stay strong!)" Right then her body became engulfed in a bright white light, startling everyone.

"No way!" Nikki gasped. "Bayleef's evolving!" Now it was Ash's turn to get excited as he watched his Pokémon begin her evolution. Overall she grew a bit bigger in size. The leaf on her head was replaced with two antennas, and the ones around her neck were now unfolded.

"Alright! Bayleef's a Meganium now!" Ash cheered once her evolution was complete. Now it was his turn to take out his Pokédex.

**Meganium, the Herb Pokémon and the evolved form of Bayleef. The aroma that rises from its petals contains a substance that calms aggressive feelings.**

"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed. Before continuing the battle Meganium turned her attention to the vines around her legs. With her evolution came more physical strength than she had as a Bayleef, and she used that to easily tear her legs free of the vines.

"Look at that. Seems like your Leech Seed isn't going to work anymore," Ash stated.

"Perhaps not, but I'm still going to win!" Fiona declared. "Hit her with Sandstorm!" Cacturne again whipped up a powerful Sandstorm.

"Protect!" Ash countered. If her Protect was strong when she was a Bayleef it was now seemingly impenetrable.

"Pin Missile!" Fiona instructed.

"Counter with Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. It seemed as though Meganium would once again block Cacturne's Pin Missile, but once the attacks met head-on Cacturne's attack was easily overpowered, resulting in the Scarecrow Pokémon getting a face-full of Meganium's Razor Leaf. Though it didn't do much damage it sent a clear message that Meganium was a much more powerful opponent than Cacturne had been facing thus far.

"It looks like it's Fiona's turn to be on the defensive," Nikki commented.

"(I'll say. Ash and Meganium have this in the bag,)" Buneary said.

"(That's it! Keep it up!)" Pikachu cheered.

"Body Slam!" Ash shouted. Meganium broke out into a head-on charge towards Cacturne, looking to slam into the Scarecrow Pokémon with all her body weight.

"Stop her with Sandstorm!" Fiona instructed. Before Meganium could reach her Cacturne blasted the Herb Pokémon with a strong Sandstorm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Now Pin Missile!" Wanting to keep the pressure on Cacturne bombarded Meganium with Pin Missile. The Herb Pokémon was forced back by the powerful attacks, leaving the two combatants in a stand-off.

"_There's got to be a way to get through her attacks… but what? Every time I try to get in close she either uses Sandstorm or Pin Missile… wait! That's it!"_ With his game plan figured out Ash prepared to go back on the attack.

"Try Body Slam again!" he said. Meganium once again charged towards Cacturne.

"Use Sandstorm to stop her!" Fiona shouted. Just like before Cacturne whipped up a Sandstorm to stop Meganium.

"Protect!" Ash countered. Right before the Sandstorm hit Meganium protected herself with her barrier.

"Switch to Pin Missile!" Fiona ordered. This was the chance Ash had been looking for.

"Now, catch her with Vine Whip!" he called. As Cacturne prepared to fire her Pin Missile Meganium's Vine Whip shot forward, wrapping around Cacturne's arms and stopping her attack.

"Uh-oh!" Fiona gasped.

"Now slam her!" Ash shouted. Meganium lifted Cacturne into the air and slammed her down with great force. The Scarecrow Pokémon wasn't defeated, but she was definitely close to it.

"Now finish her with Body Slam!" Ash called. Meganium released Cacturne and used her vines to launch herself into the air, much to the surprise of Fiona and Cacturne.

"What the? I didn't know she could do that!" Fiona gasped. Unfortunately for them in their shocked state they forgot the battle was still going on. They were quickly reminded when Meganium came crashing down on top of Cacturne. Once Meganium stepped back it was clear the battle was over.

"Cacturne is unable to battle! Meganium wins, and the victor is Ash of Pallet Town!"

"Alright! We won!" Ash cheered. His celebration was cut a bit short, for seconds after claiming victory for him Meganium charged Ash and tackled him to the ground, nuzzling him.

"(We did it, Ash! We won!)" she shouted.

"I know. You were great out there," Ash praised. "But now, do you think you could let me up?" As Meganium got off Ash and helped him up Nikki, Buneary and Pikachu approached them to offer their congratulations.

"Way to go, you two," Nikki said. "That was one intense battle."

"(It sure was. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time,)" Buneary agreed.

"It was a tough one, but my Pokémon came through for me. Especially Meganium," Ash stated.

"(I'll say. Your evolution couldn't have come at a better time,)" Pikachu said. Meanwhile Fiona had recalled her defeated Cacturne.

"Thank you, Cacturne. You did all you could," she said in thanks. With that said she looked up towards Ash as he and his friends celebrated his victory.

* * *

A few minutes later everyone was gathered out in front of the Gym. The rest of Ash's Pokémon were both surprised and excited to see that Bayleef had evolved, especially Sceptile. Ever since he first saw Meganium he had a difficult time keeping his eyes off her.

"I have to hand it to you, Ash. No one has pushed me that far in a long time," Fiona admitted. "You are definitely a trainer I wouldn't mind battling again."

"Thank you, Fiona," Ash said. At that moment she presented Ash with the Gym's badge. Like the Shifting Earth Badge it was circular in shape, only the face of this badge was green and had a flower image.

"It gives me great pleasure to present you with the Blossoming Flower Badge. Congratulations," Fiona said.

"Thank you, Fiona," Ash said as he accepted the badge.

"Alright! We won the Blossoming Flower Badge!" he cheered. His Pokémon soon joined in with cheers of their own.

"Now that you've got two badges you can challenge the Area Boss," Nikki stated.

"And I plan on defeating him too," Ash declared.

"That may be easier said than done," Fiona stated. "First you have to find the Area Boss, and that in itself is a challenge."

"Well we've never backed away from a challenge, and we don't plan on starting now. Do we?" The Pokémon all voiced their enthusiasm. During this, though, Sceptile's eyes kept drifting over towards Meganium. He had considered her to be rather cute as a Bayleef, but now that she was a Meganium he saw her in a whole new light. Just as she had his feelings for her had evolved into something more… something he hadn't felt in a long time.

* * *

With Ash now claiming his second Gym badge he is now qualified to challenge the area Boss. Where will he find the Area Boss? And for that matter who is the Area Boss? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	30. Forbidden Love

Before we get to the chapter I'd like to answer a question I've been asked quite a bit. The reason Ash, Nikki and everyone else can understand Pokémon is because I want them to. In certain episodes of the anime there have been trainers who could understand Pokémon. Rather than have that be restricted to just certain trainers I decided to apply that to everyone. I hope that clears that up for everyone.

And now, on with the story.

**Chapter 30: Forbidden Love**

Ash was riding high with his recent Gym battle victory. Now that he earned two badges he was ready to challenge the Area Boss for his first Crest. Unfortunately Fiona's warning was proving to be more true than first thought.

"Okay… if I were an Area Boss where would I be?" Ash thought out loud. With no leads to go on locating the Area Boss would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

"Fiona did say it was going to be hard to find them," Nikki stated. "Maybe we should have asked her for a lead or something."

"Yeah, but it's too late for that now," Ash sighed. After presenting him with his Gym badge Fiona left in search for some new Pokémon, more specifically a Bulbasaur of her very own.

"So what do we do now?" Nikki questioned.

"There's not much we can do other than asking around and seeing if anyone knows where the Area Boss is," Ash answered.

"But who do we ask? The Pokémon Center isn't exactly full of trainers," Nikki stated. Looking around they saw they were the only trainers in the Pokémon Center. The only other person there was Nurse Joy.

"Do you think Nurse Joy might know something?" Nikki wondered.

"Let's ask her," Ash suggested. The two trainers and their Pokémon approached the front desk where Nurse Joy greeted them with a smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"We were wondering if you could tell us where the Area Boss is," Ash inquired.

"Sorry, but I have no idea where he is," Nurse Joy replied. "Besides, if I did it wouldn't do you any good."

"Why not?" Ash asked.

"The Area Bosses are always on the move, so there's every chance that if I did know where to find him by the time you arrived at that location he would have moved on," Nurse Joy explained.

"I see," Ash said.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful," Nurse Joy apologized.

"It's okay. Thanks for trying." With their information gathering plan foiled the group went back to the drawing board.

"Okay, so now what" Nikki wondered.

"(Maybe we could ask around town and see if anyone knows anything,)" Pikachu suggested.

"Good idea," Nikki agreed. They left the Pokémon Center to continue on to the next town. Shortly after stepping outside, though, they found their path blocked by a familiar sight.

"Hold it right there, twerps!"

"What the?"

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash and Nikki shouted simultaneously.

"That's right, and we're not leaving without your Pokémon!" Jessie declared.

"That's where you're wrong!" Ash stated.

"That's where we're right!" Jessie countered. "Yanmega, get them!"

"You too, Tropius!" James called. Both of their Pokémon appeared shortly after that, but as usual James's Tropius turned around and tackled him to the ground.

"(Rice ball, please,)" he requested. As James was reaching for a rice ball Ash and Nikki sent their Pokémon out.

"Go, Shinx!" Nikki shouted.

"Meganium, I choose you!" Ash shouted. As soon as Ash and Nikki's Pokémon appeared Tropius finished his rice ball and turned around. The minute he saw Meganium his eyes grew wide and his voice caught in his throat.

"Yanmega, use Silver Wind!" Jessie ordered. Rapidly flapping her wings Yanmega unleashed her attack.

"Use Protect!" Ash countered. Meganium brought up her Protect shield, effectively blocking Yanmega's attack.

"Use Charge Beam, Shinx!" Nikki shouted. Once the Silver Wind was blocked Shinx jumped out and fired her Charge Beam, the concentrated Electric beams striking Yanmega for super effective damage.

"(Alright! That's how you do it!)" Pikachu cheered. Sensing that something was off Jessie looked over at James and notice that Tropius had not moved.

"What are you waiting for? Get your Pokémon out there!" Jessie demanded.

"R-Right," James stuttered. "Time to Fly, Tropius!" He expected to see his Fruit Pokémon take to the sky, but after a few seconds it was apparent that Tropius had no intention of doing so.

"Tropius? Are you listening? I said use Fly," James repeated. He looked at Tropius and noticed that his gaze was transfixed on Ash's Meganium.

"Tropius, what's wrong?" James asked.

"It's time we sent them packing! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Hidden Power, Buneary!" Nikki added. In the blink of an eye both attacks hit, sending Team Rocket on their way.

"We're blasting off again!" the trio cried as they vanished.

"Great work, everyone," Ash praised.

"We really showed them that time," Nikki added.

"(You bet we did,)" Buneary agreed. While Ash and Nikki praised their Pokémon for a job well done Meganium's mind was on the Tropius that had appeared in the last battle. She saw the way he was looking at her, and despite the fact that he was with Team Rocket she did consider him quite cute. However, she also knew there was no chance of anything developing between them because of the fact that he was a Team Rocket Pokémon. She only hoped he realized that as well.

* * *

A few miles out of town Team Rocket's blast off came to an abrupt and painful end when they crashed to the ground in a large cloud of dirt and dust.

"Ow… my back," Meowth groaned. "Those blast offs are getting more and more painful each time."

"This wouldn't have happened if James's Tropius had done his part!" Jessie accused. "Just what happened back there?"

"I don't know. One minute he was asking for a rice ball like usual and the next it was like he was in some kind of trance," James said. The three of them looked at Tropius. He looked no worse for wear, but he had a spaced-out expression on his face.

"Tropius? Hello?" James called.

"Are you even paying attention?" Meowth questioned. Despite their efforts to get a response out of him the Fruit Pokémon continued to look spaced out.

"This is pointless. Just return him to his Poké Ball already," Jessie spat. James sighed and complied with his partner's demand, but as soon as he returned Tropius the Fruit Pokémon re-emerged.

"Hey! I didn't tell you to come back out!" James griped. Instead of paying attention to his trainer Tropius was frantically looking around.

"(Where is she?)" he asked.

"Huh? Where's who?" James questioned.

"(That Meganium. That… beautiful Meganium,)' Tropius sighed, a dreamy look on his face. At that moment all three members of Team Rocket shared a knowing look.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meowth asked.

"I am. James… your Tropius looks like he's in love," Jessie stated. The look on James's face could only be described as horrified.

"In love? Not with the twerp's Meganium?" he shrieked.

"Afraid so, Jimmy-boy, and from the looks of it he's fallen pretty hard," Meowth commented. Looking back at Tropius they saw he had grabbed a small twig and wrote in the dirt "Tropius & Meganium" inside of a heart. This was a problem that could get out of control fast, and one James knew he had to put an end to right now.

"Tropius, I know what you're thinking and it won't work," he stated.

"(What do you mean?)" Tropius asked.

"I know you think you have a chance with the twerp's Meganium, but I'm here to tell you that you don't," James said.

"(But you don't know that,)" Tropius argued. "(Things may work out. She and I could have a future together.)"

"I don't plan on finding out. Now I want you to get this silly idea about the two of you being together out of your head," James demanded.

"(Now just a minute! You may be my trainer but you don't control my heart!)" Tropius declared.

"You're right about one thing… I am your trainer, and as your trainer I am ordering you to forget that Meganium!" James yelled.

"(You can't do that!)" Tropius protested.

"I can and I will!" James retorted. Tropius was devastated. He thought James might have understood, but here he was practically forbidding him from following his heart. In one final desperate attempt Tropius took to the skies, trying to get away so he could search for Meganium.

"No you don't! Return!" The next thing Tropius knew he could feel himself being drawn inside his Poké Ball.

"_(No! Meganium!)"_ Those were his final thoughts before being drawn inside his Poké Ball. James stored Tropius's Poké Ball and turned towards his comrades.

"James?" Jessie called. This was a side of James she had not seen in a long time.

"You okay there, James?" Meowth asked.

"I'm fine," James replied. "Now, how about we start planning our next trap for the twerps." As he walked by them both Meowth and Jessie looked to each other.

"It looks like he's got things in hand," Meowth commented.

"Yes, but I can't help but feel sorry for Tropius," Jessie mused.

"Feel sorry for him? Why?" Meowth questioned.

"I know what it's like to experience a love that will never be," she said. "I know what it feels like to constantly hear the naysayers tell you it'll never work, and the pain you experience when you finally discover how right they were."

"Is it… really that bad?" Meowth wondered.

"It's a pain that stays with you long after the deed has been done," Jessie explained. Though he had had his feelings rejected before Meowth was able to recover. He wasn't sure if Tropius would be able to do the same.

"What do we do then?" he asked.

"There's nothing we can do. We just have to let fate run its course," Jessie replied. It wasn't the best suggestion she could have made, but given the circumstances it was the only thing she and Meowth could do. The two of them then went to join James so they could formulate their next plot.

* * *

"That's it! This plan is fool-proof!" After hours of plotting and scheming the devious trio had come up with a plan that they hoped would get them Ash and Nikki's Pokémon.

"There's no way this can fail!" Jessie boasted.

"I hope not. The last thing I want is a second blast off in one day," Meowth said.

"That's not going to happen. Come on." The trio left to set up their plan, completely confident that they would finally succeed.

* * *

"Well that didn't go exactly as planned." Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon spent the entire day asking around to see if anyone knew where the Area Boss was. Unfortunately for them no one had any idea, leaving them right back where they started.

"I was really hoping we'd get some kind of lead," Ash sighed. From his place on Ash's shoulder Pikachu patted the side of Ash's head.

"(Don't feel bad, Ash. We'll find out something soon,)" he said. Ash glanced over to his first Pokémon and smiled.

"Thanks for that, buddy," he said, giving Pikachu a scratch behind his ears.

"I would suggest that we keep looking, but it's getting pretty late in the day. I say we head back to the Pokémon Center and try again tomorrow," Nikki suggested.

"I don't think you will be doing anything like that!" To their surprise standing in front of them was Team Rocket.

"Not again!" Ash groaned.

"Twice in one day. This must be our unlucky day," Nikki sighed.

"Trust me, it's about to get much, much worse," Jessie stated. "Do it, James!" Her partner grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it out.

"Tropius, we need air support!" he called. The ball flew through the air and fell to the ground… without opening.

"Hey James, I think you grabbed the wrong Poké Ball," Meowth commented.

"No, that's Tropius's Poké Ball," James said. He walked over and picked it up.

"Tropius, come out. We need you," he pleaded. Again the ball did not open. Now James was becoming frustrated.

"I know you can hear me! Now get out here!" James demanded. By now Jessie and Meowth had gathered around him to see what the problem was.

"Maybe it's broken," Meowth commented. The trio looked the Poké Ball over for anything that seemed damaged.

"No, it's not broken," Jessie stated. "Do you think that, maybe, he's just not listening."

"But why would he do that? Why would he just decide to not listen like that?" James wondered.

"Well, you were pretty harsh with him over that whole Meganium thing earlier," Jessie pointed out. "I think he may still be upset with you over that." With that new bit of information James looked down at Tropius's Poké Ball.

"You're still upset over that? I told you it won't work between you two! Now get over her and get out here!" James demanded. Just like before the Poké Ball remained closed.

"Well this is just great! Without Tropius we can't go through with our plan!" Meowth griped.

"Forget Tropius. We can use Yanmega instead," Jessie stated. She grabbed Yanmega's Poké Ball and prepared to call on her.

"Okay, Yanmega! Come on… huh?"

"What is it, Jess?" Meowth asked.

"The twerps! They're gone!" While they were preoccupied with Tropius Ash and Nikki decided to leave and avoid another confrontation with Team Rocket.

"They're not supposed to do that!" Meowth yelled. Jessie then turned her glare to James.

"This is all your fault!" she shouted.

"My fault? How is this my fault?" James demanded.

"If you hadn't upset your Tropius earlier we wouldn't have had that problem!" Jessie accused.

"How is that on me?" James questioned.

"Hey, guys! How about we do less arguing and more restocking. Our reserves are getting kinda low," Meowth reported. With more pressing matters at hand Jessie and James agreed to drop their argument. They changed into their disguises and prepared to head into town. Before leaving James placed Tropius's Poké Ball with his Team Rocket uniform.

"I'll deal with you when we get back," he said.

"Keep an eye on our things, Meowth," Jessie instructed.

"Yeah, yeah. I know the drill," the Scratch Cat Pokémon replied. While the two humans were off getting supplies the Pokémon was left to watch over their possessions.

"No one's ever found us before and I doubt they'll start now," Meowth stated. He then walked over to where Jessie and James's Team Rocket uniforms were. Sitting on top of James's was Tropius's Poké Ball.

"You caused us a lot of trouble today, pal," Meowth commented. He turned his back to the ball, but as soon as he did it burst open and Tropius appeared. The first thing he did was look around for his trainer.

"(I thought I heard him leave,)" the Fruit Pokémon commented. Tropius's sudden appearance startled Meowth at first, but he quickly regained his composure.

"H-Hey! What gives? You don't show up when we need you but now you decide to grace us with your presence!" the Scratch Cat Pokémon griped. It was then Tropius took note of Meowth's presence.

"(Oh, Meowth. Good. I'm going to need your help with something,)" he said.

"Hold it! Why should I help you? When we needed your help earlier you gave us the cold shoulder!" Meowth accused.

"(I'm not asking for much. I just need to know if that Meganium is still around,)" Tropius stated.

"Oh, come on! You're not still thinking about her, are you? It'll never work between you two!" Meowth said.

"(You don't know that!)" Tropius argued. "(Now just tell me where she is!)" Meowth sighed. It was clear that nothing would change the Fruit Pokémon's mind.

"Well, if I know the twerp he's staying at the Pokémon Center. That's where you'll find her," Meowth said.

"(The Pokémon Center, huh. Which way is it?)" Tropius inquired.

"That way," Meowth answered, pointing off in the direction Jessie and James just left in. "Of course I doubt if you'll…" Before he could finish his statement Tropius took to the sky and flew off. Meowth let out another sigh.

"I hope he knows what he's doing."

* * *

"That was strange back there." After their brief encounter with Team Rocket Ash and Nikki returned to the Pokémon Center.

"Do they normally have problems like that?" Nikki asked.

"Not normally," Ash replied. "It's strange to see them having problems with one of their Pokémon."

"(I'm just glad we didn't have to battle them again. Once a day is enough for me,)" Pikachu commented.

"(You said it,)" Buneary agreed. "(Besides, we still have to find out where the Area Boss is.)"

"No one around town knew anything, so that leaves us with very few options," Nikki said.

"I know," Ash agreed. While they spoke inside outside their Pokémon had been let out of their Poké Balls for some fresh air. As they went about their business they were unaware of the pair of eyes watching from the shadows.

"(Come on… where is she?)" Tropius whispered. His eyes scanned the field behind the Pokémon Center, searching for the Pokémon who had stolen his heart.

"(There she is!)" His heart skipped a beat as he finally found the object of his obsession. To him Meganium was more beautiful now than before. He wanted nothing more than to run out there and declare his undying love for her, but before he could fantasize further he saw another Pokémon approaching her. A Sceptile. He frowned as he saw the newcomer stop right next to Meganium and start a conversation. From the happy look on her face Tropius assumed she knew the Sceptile. He knew he had to make sure the Sceptile didn't interfere with his possible relationship with Meganium, but he didn't want to blow his cover. All he could do was sit and wait.

"(You know, I never did get a chance to congratulate you on evolving,)" Sceptile said.

"(Thank you. With the rest of you guys evolving before me I didn't want to feel left out,)" Meganium replied.

"(Don't worry. Evolved or not you'd always be one of us,)" Sceptile stated.

"(Aw, that's so sweet of you,)" Meganium cooed. During this Tropius fumed with anger. Even though he couldn't hear what was being said between them just by looking at Meganium's facial expressions he could tell this Sceptile was saying something that made her happy. He was so consumed by his anger he didn't watch where he was stepping. The snapping of a twig beneath his foot put him in panic mode as he looked around to see if he had been spotted. Meganium and Sceptile also heard the twig snap and were also looking around to find the cause. As they searched Sceptile caught a glimpse of something hiding within the trees.

"_(What is that?)"_ he wondered.

"(Do you see something?)" Meganium asked. He was so focused on what he saw that he didn't hear her question.

"(What did you say?)" he asked, giving her his full attention.

"(I was wondering if you saw something,)" she repeated. Before answering he looked back towards the trees only to find the thing that he saw had vanished.

"(I thought I did, but it's gone now,)" he said.

"(What do you suppose it was?)? Meganium wondered.

"(Who knows,)" Sceptile replied. Unbeknownst to either of them the thing Sceptile saw was Tropius. The Fruit Pokémon, having seen enough, beat a hasty retreat back to Team Rocket's camp. During his return trip his mind was filled with thoughts of Meganium and Sceptile, and how hard he would fight to make Meganium his.

* * *

The next day Ash and Nikki were ready to leave the Pokémon Center to continue their journey. Having found no leads on the location of the Area Boss they were prepared to move on and hopefully encounter him on their travels.

"Everyone ready to hit the road?" Ash asked.

"All set," Nikki answered. They had just walked out the Center's doors when…

"Hey, guys! Wait up!" To their surprise Fiona ran up to them.

"What's up, Fiona?" Ash asked.

"I finally found one," she bragged. Before they could ask what she meant she stepped to the side. Standing behind her was a Bulbasaur.

"You got your own Bulbasaur!" Nikki commented.

"Yeah. I found her outside the Gym this morning," Fiona explained.

"(Hi there,)" the Bulbasaur greeted.

"Hello," Ash said.

"Oh, you're so cute," Nikki gushed. Pikachu and Buneary also greeted her.

"So I take it you're off to find the Area Boss," Fiona assumed.

"We're going to try. With no leads to go on that's going to be a difficult task," Nikki said.

"I might be able to help with that," Fiona stated.

"Really? How?" Ash asked.

"Do you know where he is?" Nikki wondered.

"No, I don't. But I do know where he was last seen," Fiona said. She asked Nikki to take out her map. After scanning it for a bit Fiona pointed to a large desert area to their north.

"There. Last I heard the Area Boss was studying some ruin there," she said.

"Thanks. That's more than we had a minute ago," Ash commented. Now that they had a lead the group was more eager than ever to get moving.

"So long, Fiona!" Ash called.

"Goodbye! Good luck on your journey!" she replied. With their destination now determined Ash and Nikki left Treetop Town. Hopefully they would find the Area Boss soon so Ash could finally compete for his first Legenda League Crest.

* * *

Now that the group finally has a location to start searching for the Area Boss it appears as though things are looking up for Ash and company. Will they find him where Fiona told them? And what of the love triangle developing between Meganium, Sceptile and Tropius? To what lengths will Tropius go to? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	31. Blasts from the Past

**Chapter 31: Blasts from the Past**

Since leaving Treetop Town Ash and Nikki had been making good progress. Thanks to Fiona, the Treetop Town Gym Leader, they had an idea on where the Area Boss was. With that knowledge they traveled north.

"I wonder what the Area Boss is like," Ash said.

"Fiona did say he was studying so ruins, so maybe he's an archeologist," Nikki commented.

"An arche-what?" Ash asked.

"Archeologist. It's someone who studies old ruins for a living," Nikki explained. "As much traveling as you've done I would have thought you would have met one or two archeologists."

"I have. I just didn't know that's what they were called," Ash replied. Nikki shook her head in amazement.

"Do you pay attention to anything besides Pokémon?" she asked.

"(Not really,)" Pikachu answered.

"Hey! I do sometimes!" Ash argued.

"(Not that often,)" Pikachu replied. "(But then again that's what makes you, you.)" Unbeknownst to them Team Rocket was ahead of them, preparing to carry out their latest scheme.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Meowth questioned.

"Of course it's going to work! Why wouldn't it?" Jessie replied.

"I don't know. I just have my doubts," Meowth commented.

"Then maybe you should have voiced those doubts before we got started," Jessie said.

"It sounded good at first, but not so much now," Meowth argued.

"Nothing's changed between then and now, so let's just…"

"Would you two keep it down! I can see the twerps!" James announced. As Ash and Nikki approached the devious trio got into position.

"So what kind of strategy are you going to use for the Area Boss?" Nikki asked.

"Well, based on what you told me I'll have to wait and see what kind of battle I'll be in for," Ash replied. "Regardless of that, though, that first Crest is as good as mi-IINE!" In the middle of his speech he and Nikki fell into a pit.

"(Are you okay, Nikki?)" Buneary wondered.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nikki replied. "That didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would have."

"That's because you landed on me," Ash groaned. Looking down Nikki saw she had indeed landed on Ash. She quickly got off him and helped him to his feet. Shortly after that two metal arms reached down and grabbed Pikachu and Buneary.

"(Hey!)" Pikachu yelped.

"(Let go!)" Buneary screamed.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Buneary!" Nikki screamed. "Who would do something like this?" Then, as if on cue, mischievous laughter filled the air.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped.

"Not you guys again?" Nikki groaned. "Can't you go bother someone else?"

"Not until we get what we want, and what we want is your Pokémon!" Jessie declared.

"And from the looks of things I'd say we're closing in on that very thing," James added. The trio had both Pikachu and Buneary confined in a small cage.

"(I think a Thunderbolt will change your mind!)" Pikachu declared, cheeks sparking.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Meowth warned. "That cage is designed to take anything you throw at it and turn it back on you and your long-eared friend there, meaning that if you try to break free with a Thunderbolt you and Buneary will both be getting the 'shock' of your lives." Buneary knew full well how powerful Pikachu's Thunderbolt was, and had seen repeatedly what it could do to Team Rocket. She also knew she didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.

"(Pikachu, please don't,)" she pleaded. Though Pikachu wanted nothing more than to blast them with his strongest Thunderbolt he knew Buneary would end up getting hurt in the process, so he reluctantly powered down his attack.

"That's right, Pikachu. Your little electrified paws are tied," Jessie gloated.

"Maybe Pikachu can't do anything, but our other Pokémon can!" Ash declared. He grabbed one of his Poké Balls and prepared to call on some help when Meowth introduced one of Team Rocket's newest gadgets. At first glance it looked like nothing more than a large magnet, but Ash and Nikki knew better.

"I think I'll take that Poké Ball off your hands, and while I'm at it I'll take the rest of them as well!" With a flip of a switch Meowth activated the magnet. Not only did it snatch the Poké Ball from Ash's hand but it also took the rest of Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls, leaving them with nothing.

"Our Poké Balls!" Nikki cried.

"Give them back!" Ash demanded.

"Let me think about it… no! They're ours now!" Jessie responded.

"And the only person we're going to hand them over to is our Boss!" Meowth declared.

"And best of all there's nothing you can do to stop us!" James concluded. Assured of their victory they walked away from the pit to prepare their getaway.

"Call in the balloon, Meowth," Jessie said.

"I'm on it," Meowth replied. He took out a remote and pressed a button. While waiting for their balloon to arrive the trio gloated over how easily their plan worked.

"Who knew that all we had to do was go back to the tried-and-true pitfall trap," Meowth commented. "Those twerps never saw it coming."

"And now they're trapped while we're getting away with their Pokémon," Jessie boasted. She and Meowth's confidence was at an all-time high. James, however, didn't share their enthusiasm. In fact he felt a bit concerned.

"Come on, James. Lighten up," Meowth said once he saw his companion's mood.

"I wish I could, but I just have this foreboding feeling," he replied.

"Foreboding? Did you forget that we have the twerps' Pokémon?" Jessie stated.

"I know, but they always seem to find a way out of our traps," James reminded them.

"Team Rocket!"

"Like that!" Looking behind them they were shocked to see that Ash and Nikki had somehow climbed out of the pit and were charging them.

"Give our Pokémon back!" Nikki demanded.

"We need more time for the balloon to arrive!" Meowth shouted.

"I'll take care of that!" James declared. "Tropius, take care of the twerps!" He hurled Tropius's Poké Ball through the air… only to have it fall to the ground without opening.

"Oh come on! You're not still mad at me, are you?" James griped.

"Oh, forget that leaf-head! Yanmega, take care of this!" She threw out her Poké Ball, and unlike James Yanmega actually appeared.

"Slow the twerps down with Silver Wind!" Jessie instructed. With a few flaps of her wings the Ogre Darner Pokémon blasted Ash and Nikki with her Silver Wind, forcing them to cover up. The attack lasted a few seconds, but that was all the time Team Rocket needed for their balloon to arrive.

"Return, Yanmega!" Jessie called, returning her Pokémon to her Poké Ball. Ash and Nikki recovered quickly, but by then Team Rocket had already boarded their balloon and were lifting off.

"No! They're getting away!" Nikki cried.

"We won't be able to keep up with them on foot!" Ash yelled. While he and Nikki tried to figure out a plan of action Team Rocket was feeling confident about their chances.

"We're actually going to get away with this one!" Jessie boasted.

"And with the twerps without their Pokémon I can actually believe you!" Meowth commented. Pikachu and Buneary glared at them from within their cage while a large sack with Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls sat right next to them.

"I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but now I think you guys are right," James admitted.

"Of course we were right," Meowth boasted. "We hold all the cards. Seriously, what can the twerps do to stop us now?" Then, as if on cue, a stream of fire streaked across the sky and struck Team Rocket's balloon, detonating it instantly.

"Where did that come from?" Jessie shrieked.

"And I thought we were finally going to get away!" Meowth whined.

"Now I know better than to be optimistic early!" James cried.

"We're blasting off again!" they screamed as they vanished. During the balloon explosion Pikachu and Buneary's cage was destroyed, freeing them. Unfortunately this left them hurtling through the air uncontrollably, the bag holding Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls flying through the air with them.

"Oh no!" Nikki screamed.

"We have to catch them!" Ash shouted. Before either of them could make a move something flew in and caught Pikachu, Buneary and the Poké Balls.

"What is that?" Nikki wondered. Both trainers watched as the mysterious object landed in front of them, placing the bag of Poké Balls on the ground in front of it and letting Pikachu and Buneary hop off and back to their trainers. It was then they got a good look at what had saved their Pokémon. It was another Pokémon, and a large one at that. It sported massive wings and a large tail flame. Ash recognized it instantly.

"A Charizard!" he gasped. Nikki immediately grabbed her Pokédex and scanned it.

**Charizard, the Flame Pokémon and the evolved form of Charmeleon. If Charizard becomes furious, the flame at the tip of its tail flares up in a light blue shade.**

The sight of the massive Pokémon was enough to make both Ash and Nikki wary, but as they continued to gaze at it something began to stir within Ash's mind.

"_Could it be?"_ Before Ash's thoughts could progress further the Charizard turned his gaze on him. At that moment a realization came over Pikachu. As quickly as he could he scurried to Nikki's vacant shoulder.

"(We may want to move away from Ash now,)" he advised.

"What? Why?" the Pinegrove native wondered.

"(Just trust me on this one,)" Pikachu said. She didn't know why Pikachu wanted her to move away from Ash, but she knew the Mouse Pokémon wouldn't steer her wrong. She took his advice and stepped away from Ash, and not a moment too soon, for once she was safely out of range the Charizard engulfed Ash in a massive Flamethrower.

"Ash!" Nikki shouted.

"_(I knew it!)"_ Pikachu thought. Nikki quickly rushed to Ash's side to check on his well-being.

"Are you alright?" she asked in a panic. Despite what he just went through Ash sat up quickly.

"I'm fine," he said. "In fact, I've never felt better." Nikki was not expecting that answer, but before she could inquire further he got to his feet and walked towards the Charizard.

"Ash, be careful!" Nikki warned.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," Ash reassured her. Nikki wasn't as confident as he was about the situation, yet there was little she could do other than watch as Ash stood before the large Pokémon. She expected the worst, but what happened was the last thing she expected to happen.

Both Ash and the Charizard… smiled.

"I should have known it was you, buddy!" Ash shouted, throwing his arms around the massive Pokémon. Surprisingly the Charizard happily returned the hug.

"(So you do remember me!)" Charizard roared.

"I'd never forget you," Ash said. By now Pikachu and returned to Ash's shoulder and was greeting his old ally.

"(It's good to see you again, Charizard,)" the Mouse Pokémon greeted.

"(You too, Pikachu,)" Charizard returned. "(You haven't changed one bit.)"

"(Except getting stronger, that is,)" Pikachu stated. While the three of them were getting reacquainted Nikki and Buneary looked on confused.

"Umm… is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" Nikki wondered.

"Oops. Sorry," Ash apologized. "Nikki, Buneary, I want you two to meet my Charizard. Charizard, this is Nikki and her Buneary. They're traveling with me now."

"(A pleasure,)" the dragon said.

"Likewise," Nikki said. "You never said you had a Charizard, Ash. Where have you been keeping him?"

"He's been training in the Charisific Valley in the Johto region," Ash explained.

"Johto? But that's a long ways away from here!" Nikki gasped. "Just how did he end up here, and how did he know where to find you?" Ash paused briefly. Now that Nikki mentioned it that was something piqued his curiosity.

"Just how did you know where I was?" Ash asked.

"I can answer that for you." Turning around they saw a hot air balloon similar to Team Rockets, and next to it was the person who had spoken to them and yet another face Ash recognized immediately.

"Liza!"

"It's good to see you again, Ash," Liza said. Standing by her side was Charla, her Charizard, but shortly after being noticed by Ash and company she was by Charizard's side.

"I see nothing's changed between those two," Ash commented.

"If anything they're closer than ever," Liza said.

"So I take it you're the person who's been training Ash's Charizard," Nikki assumed.

"That's right. I'm Liza," Liza said.

"My name's Nikita, but everyone calls me Nikki," Nikki replied. "So, why were you keeping Ash's Charizard?"

"Ash left him with me when he traveled through the Johto region years ago with the promise I'd make him strong. Since then he's been living and training with me and the other Charizard in the Charisific Valley," Liza explained.

"Well he definitely looks strong," Nikki observed.

"He is. Next to Charla he's the strongest Charizard in the valley," Liza reported.

"Really? That's awesome!" Ash praised. In response Charizard puffed his chest out a bit, causing Charla to affectionately take hold of his arm and let out a low, loving growl.

"I guess Charla thinks strength is attractive," Nikki commented.

"She does. It's what attracted her to Charizard in the first place," Liza confirmed.

"So what brings you out here to Legenda? And how did you know where to find me?" Ash inquired.

"I actually came for a couple of reasons," Liza replied. Before she could go any further a rustling noise was heard coming from her balloon.

"(Sounds like our passenger is finally waking up,)" Charla commented.

"Sounds like it," Liza agreed.

"Passenger? There's someone else with you?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, and let me tell you she's been eager to meet you again," Liza commented.

"Again?" Ash wondered. Now he was really curious to know who else Liza had brought with her. Before he could ask her she walked over to the balloon and reached into the basket. What she took out was a small dinosaur-like Pokémon.

"Okay, we're here," she announced. The small Pokémon let out a yawn and stretched.

"Did you sleep well?" Liza wondered.

"(I did. The trip was a bit longer than I realized,)" the Pokémon replied. Though her voice sounded a bit different Ash and Pikachu recognized her instantly.

"Larvitar?" As soon as Ash called her name she looked around, trying to find him.

"(Is that you, Ash? Where are you?)" Larvitar asked.

"Over here." Larvitar turned towards the sound of Ash's voice. When she spotted him and Pikachu he face lit up.

"(Ash! Pikachu!)" In the blink of an eye she jumped out of Liza's arms and dove into Ash's chest, knocking the Pallet Town trainer to the ground.

"It is you!" Ash exclaimed.

"(I missed you, Ash!)" Larvitar said.

"So that's a Larvitar," Nikki said. She took that opportunity to scan Larvitar with her Pokédex.

**Larvitar, the Rock Skin Pokémon. It feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it falls asleep so it can grow.**

"You must have been eating plenty of mountains then. You've grown since I last saw you," Ash commented, earning a childish giggle out of the Rock Skin Pokémon.

"Aw, she's so cute," Nikki cooed.

"(Thanks. I like you,)" Larvitar stated.

"(Nikki's a very likable person,)" Pikachu commented.

"How did you end up with Larvitar in the first place?" Ash wondered.

"It's a funny story, actually. Charla, Charizard and I were visiting a Pokémon game preserve and it just so happened to be the same one you brought Larvitar to. Professor Oak was there too," Liza explained.

"He was?" Ash inquired.

"Yeah. He said he was stopping by to check on the Pokémon there. We got to talking and eventually your name came up. Well this little one must have overheard us because she came running in saying she wanted to see you again," Liza continued. "After that one thing led to another and the professor told me to go find you in the Legenda region. Once we got here I asked Professor Redwood about you and she pointed me in this direction. The rest, as they say, is history."

"Well that explains how you found me," Ash commented. "You also said there were a couple of reasons why you wanted to find me."

"There were," Liza agreed. "One was Larvitar."

"And the other?" Ash inquired. Rather than tell him Liza walked up to him and placed something in his hand. When Ash looked at what she handed him he gasped.

"T-This is!"

"That's right… Charizard's Poké Ball," Liza confirmed.

"But why?" Ash asked.

"You wanted me to make him the strongest Charizard in the valley, did you? Like I said, next to Charla he is the strongest, so I've done all I can," Liza explained. "However, he can become much stronger than I've made him, but the only person who can help him is you."

"Me?" Ash asked.

"That's right. In order for him to grow stronger he needs to travel and experience things he can't in the valley. For that reason I feel it's time to return him to you," Liza stated. Ash didn't know what to say. He always hoped the day would come where Charizard would be returned to him, but now that it was here he felt a bit overwhelmed. With his Poké Ball in his hand Ash turned to Charizard.

"What do you think, buddy? Do you want to come with me again?" he asked.

"(Ash… nothing would make me happier,)" the dragon replied with a smile. At that moment Ash couldn't have been happier as he hugged the large Fire type, being careful not to smother Larvitar.

"(Welcome back, old friend,)" Pikachu said.

"(Believe me, it feels great to be back,)" Charizard said.

"It's going to be great to have you back, Charizard," Ash commented.

"(Don't forget about me!)" Larvitar exclaimed.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash inquired.

"(I want to come with you too!)" Larvitar stated.

"You do?" Ash asked, a bit surprised.

"Oops. I guess I forgot to tell you. When I said she wanted to meet you again I should have also mentioned that she also wanted you to catch her," Liza said. "From what I gathered from the game warden at the Pokémon preserve you two have a bit of a history."

"What kind of history?" Nikki wondered. Before saying anything Ash looked to Larvitar. She looked up at him and nodded, giving Ash permission to tell Nikki about her past.

"She was forcibly taken from her mother before she was hatched by a gang of poachers," Ash started.

"Oh my! How horrible!" Nikki gasped. Liza remained silent. Like Nikki she was shocked by what she was hearing, but decided to wait until Ash finished before saying anything.

"(What happened next?)" Buneary asked.

"She was given to me while she was still an egg. She hatched soon after that, but because of her experiences before she hatched she would freeze up whenever anyone approached her," Ash continued.

"(Anyone except for me and Ash, that is,)" Pikachu added.

"That's right," Ash agreed. "We eventually got her back to her mother, though."

"What about the poachers? Did you ever run into them again?" Nikki wondered.

"Yeah, and they got what they had coming," Ash said.

"That's good," Nikki commented.

"That was quite the story," Liza said. "Based on what you just told us I can see why Larvitar wants to travel with you again."

"Believe me I'd love to have you come with us, but are you sure it's okay? I mean, we went through a lot to reunite you with your mother" Ash stated.

"(Well, my mom was against it at first, but she eventually gave me permission to find you so I could become your Pokémon,)" Larvitar explained.

"Well, it looks like all that's left is to make it official," Liza stated. Ash looked down at Larvitar and smiled.

"What do you say? Want to make this official?" he asked.

"(Yeah!)" she cheered. Ash then grabbed an empty Poké Ball and prepared to catch Larvitar when Nikki called out to him.

"Umm… aren't you forgetting something?" she questioned.

"Like what?" Ash inquired.

"Well, you already have six Pokémon with you, so if you catch Larvitar she'll be sent back to Professor Oak's place," Nikki stated. This was a fact that the Pallet Town trainer had overlooked.

"Oh man… where's a Pokémon Center when you need one?" he groaned.

"Actually I think I saw one while I was flying overhead," Liza said.

"Really?" Ash asked.

"I think so, and from what I could tell it wasn't far from here," the Johto native added. "Follow me and I'll take you there." With Liza in the lead the group followed her as she lead them to what she believed, and the others hoped, was a Pokémon Center.

* * *

To everyone's relief Liza had indeed spotted a Pokémon Center, meaning that Ash could make room in his current team for two new additions. As soon as they stepped inside the Center Ash rushed to the videophones, called Professor Oak's ranch in Pallet Town and explained the situation to Tracey.

"That's great, Ash!" Tracey exclaimed. "So I guess you'll need to send a couple of Pokémon here to make room, right?"

"That, and I'd like to make a few changes to my team." Shortly after that Ash had changed his Pokémon team while making sure to keep two spaces open for Charizard and Larvitar.

"Thanks, Tracey," Ash said.

"Don't mention it. Good luck with your journey." With the Pokémon swap concluded Ash turned to Charizard and Larvitar. He first grabbed Charizard's Poké Ball.

"Welcome back, buddy," he said. Charizard let out a massive roar before being drawn inside the Poké Ball. He then turned his attention to Larvitar, an empty Poké Ball in his hand.

"As for you… welcome to the family," he said before tossing the ball in her direction. The Rock Skin Pokémon cheered as she reached up and slapped the ball. She was immediately drawn inside and put up no struggle as the light flashed three times before a 'ping' echoed across the room.

"(Alright! Larvitar's part of the family now!)" Pikachu cheered. With the Rock Skin Pokémon now a part of their group Ash picked up her Poké Ball and called her out.

"So, how does it feel to be with us now?" he asked.

"(It's great!)" Larvitar cheered.

"(That's good, because you're going to be with us for a long time,)" Pikachu stated.

"That you are," Ash agreed. Larvitar looked around at everyone and smiled, glad to be part of the group.

* * *

With their business inside the Pokémon Center concluded the group went outside to say farewell to Liza and Charla as the two of them prepared to head back to the Charisific Valley.

"It was great seeing you again, Liza," Ash commented.

"You too, and it was nice meeting you, Nikki," Liza replied.

"Same here. Good luck on your trip back," Nikki said.

"Thanks, and good luck to you guys on your journey," Liza responded.

"(Thank you for bringing me along,)" Larvitar thanked. Liza smiled and patted her on her head.

"It was my pleasure. Now you make sure to grow up big and strong, okay?" Liza said.

"(You bet!)" Larvitar promised. While they spoke Charizard was saying his goodbyes to Charla.

"(I'm going to miss you, Charizard,)" Charla said.

"(And I you. I'll visit as often as I can,)" Charizard promised.

"(I'm going to hold you to that, big guy,)" Charla stated. With that she licked Charizard's cheek, making the large dragon blush. With a smirk Charla walked over to Liza and allowed her trainer to attach the balloon to her tail.

"Okay, Charla! Let's head home!" With a few flaps of her wings Charla and the balloon took to the skies.

"Bye, Liza! Bye, Charla!" Ash called.

"Take care!" Nikki added.

"Bye, everyone!" Liza replied. They continued to wave to each other until Liza and Charla vanished from sight.

"Well guys, we've got a long road ahead of us," Ash stated.

"That we do," Nikki agreed. After returning Charizard and Larvitar to their Poké Balls the group continued on the road to their next destination.

* * *

A chance meeting with an old friend has reunited Ash with two Pokémon from his past. Now that Charizard and Larvitar are part of the ever-growing family what changes will that bring for Ash and company? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	32. How They've Grown

Before we get going there's something I need to get off my chest. I know I'm not going to be able to please everyone with my stories all the time, and that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But one thing I just can't stand is getting reviews from readers who just want to tell me how much they hate my story. Seriously, if that's all you're going to do them do me and everyone else a favor and don't waste my time. If you don't like it, don't read it.

For those who are here to read and enjoy my story I give you first of all my thanks, and Chapter 32.

**Chapter 32: How They've Grown**

A long sigh escaped Nikki's mouth as she glanced over at Ash. Ever since Charizard and Larvitar returned to him he had been staring at their Poké Balls in his hands. More times than not this led the Pallet Town native to almost walk into all kinds of things, forcing Nikki to keep a lookout for the both of them.

"Come on, Ash. You need to pay more attention to where you're going and less to those Poké Balls," Nikki stated.

"I can't help it. Having Charizard back was great, but getting Larvitar as well… this is just amazing," Ash said. "It's been a long time since I last saw them."

"(I wonder how much stronger they've gotten?)" Pikachu commented. Upon hearing Pikachu's question Ash paused.

"What's wrong, Ash?" Nikki asked once she saw him stop. Ash, however, was too deep in thought to hear her.

"Ash," she called again, once again getting no response. At this point she realized she would need to take a different approach. She walked up to him and snapped her fingers in front of his face, instantly getting his attention.

"Huh, what?"

"Finally. You spaced out on me for a bit there," Nikki said.

"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about what Pikachu just said," Ash explained.

"(What about what I said?)" Pikachu curiously inquired.

"You mentioned wondering how strong Charizard and Larvitar had become. That's something I'd like to know as well," Ash said.

"In that case why not put them in a battle," Nikki suggested.

"(But against who?)" Pikachu wondered.

"I already know who I want Charizard to battle against. I just need some help with it," Ash said. He then glanced over at Nikki. The Pinegrove native immediately put her hands up in defense.

"Oh no. After what he did to Team Rocket there's no way I'm putting any of my Pokémon up against your Charizard," she declared. At first he was confused, but soon after Ash laughed.

"I wasn't suggesting outing Charizard against one of your Pokémon," Ash said. "No offense, but they wouldn't stand a chance."

"Believe me, none taken," Nikki replied. "So, who are you going to put Charizard up against?"

"I brought over a Pokémon I think would make a great sparring partner for Charizard, but I'll need you to use him while I use Charizard," Ash explained.

"Oh. Well if that's all you need then count me in," Nikki stated.

"Great. Now all we need is an area big enough to have our battle," Ash said.

"(Like that one?)" Pikachu suggested, pointing off to the side. Situated amongst the trees was a large field.

"Yeah, that's perfect," Ash declared. "Good eye, Pikachu." With the battlefield found Ash and Nikki decided to let out their Pokémon. Grabbing their Poké Balls the two trainers tossed them, calling out the Pokémon inside. Vulpix, Shinx and Swablu emerged from Nikki's while Venusaur, Pidgeot, Infernape, Larvitar and Charizard emerged from Ash's. Shortly after emerging Charizard, Venusaur and Pidgeot reunited.

"(Hey, Charizard! Welcome back!)" Venusaur said.

"(It's good to see you again, old friend,)" Pidgeot greeted.

"(It feels good to be back,)" Charizard admitted. "(I just didn't think I'd come back and see you evolved, Venusaur. I seemed to recall you hated the idea of evolving. What changed your mind?)"

"(What can I say? It was time,)" Venusaur explained.

"(It took you long enough,)" Pidgeot joked. Soon afterwards Charizard took notice of Infernape.

"(You must be one of Ash's new Pokémon,)" the dragon commented.

"(Sort of. I joined him when he traveled through Sinnoh,)" Infernape explained.

"(Sinnoh, huh? I've heard of that region. It's supposed to have some powerful Pokémon I hear,)" Charizard commented. Upon hearing that comment Infernape couldn't help but smirk.

"(It's true. Us Sinnoh Pokémon are very strong,)" he bragged. Charizard returned Infernape's smirk.

"(Is that a fact? I'd like to see for myself one of these days,)" Charizard stated. Elsewhere Nikki's Pokémon had gathered around Larvitar, who was enjoying the attention she was getting.

"(I heard there were some new Pokémon joining our family, but I never would have thought one of them would be a girl,)" Swablu commented.

"(I like it. I always felt that we needed more girls around,)" Shinx stated. "(Not trying to sound mean or anything, but the guys here really aren't good conversation material.)"

"(What do you mean?)" Larvitar asked.

"(Let's just put it this way… most conversations between us girls and the boys end in awkward silence,)" Buneary explained.

"(Oh… I see,)" Larvitar said. With all the Pokémon now outside of their Poké Balls Nikki grabbed her Pokédex and scanned the only one she wasn't familiar with.

**Infernape, the Flame Pokémon and the evolved form of Monferno. It tosses its enemies around with agility. It uses all its limbs to fight in its own unique style.**

"So Ash, who am I going to use to spar with Charizard?" Nikki inquired.

"I was going to let you use Infernape," Ash answered. Upon hearing that they were going to battle each other the two Fire types looked to each other and smiled.

"(Looks like we're getting our wish sooner than we thought,)" Infernape commented.

"(Just don't expect me to go easy on you. It may just be a sparring match, but I don't plan on losing,)" Charizard stated.

"(Neither do I,)" Infernape added. As Ash, Nikki and their respective Pokémon took their positions the remaining Pokémon gathered on the sidelines to watch.

"(This should be good,)" Pikachu commented.

"(I agree. We all know how strong Infernape is, and with Charizard getting stronger during his time in the Charisific Valley this is definitely going to be a high-powered match,)" Venusaur said.

"(Who do you think is stronger?)" Buneary asked.

"(Hmm… hard to say,)" Pikachu answered. "(There's no denying that Infernape is a powerful Pokémon, but as Venusaur said there's no telling how much stronger Charizard's become. In truth it's anyone's guess as to which on is the stronger of the two.)"

"(It'll be a good battle, regardless of who wins,)" Pidgeot said. With the promise an exciting battle the Pokémon turned their attention to the two trainers and their battling Pokémon.

"Ready to go?" Ash asked.

"Hold on. What moves does Infernape know?" Nikki inquired. Right then Ash realized that Nikki had never seen Infernape before today and thus had no idea what he could do. Ash, though, informed her.

"He can use Mach Punch, Flare Blitz, Flamethrower and Dig," he answered. Nikki nodded and began thinking up her strategy. Once she was confident she informed Ash she was ready.

"Ladies first," the Kanto trainer said.

"Alright. Infernape, Mach Punch!" Nikki called. With an incredible burst of speed Infernape closed the distance between himself and Charizard, intending on delivering his hi-speed punch.

"Take flight!" Ash instructed. Right before Infernape's attack connected Charizard flapped his wings and took to the skies, avoiding Infernape's Mach Punch.

"It's not going to be that easy! Flamethrower!" Nikki shouted.

"You use your Flamethrower!" Ash countered. Both Fire types let loose a Flamethrower, the two attacks meeting head-on in a fiery collision. After a few tense seconds the attacks dissipated.

"(They're even,)" Pidgeot commented.

"(Looks that way,)" Venusaur agreed.

"Time to go on the attack, Charizard! Steel Wing!" Ash instructed. The mighty dragon dove down towards Infernape, his wings taking on a silver-ish glow as Steel Wing came into play.

"Use Dig to dodge!" Nikki instructed. Right before Charizard reached him Infernape dug underground, completely avoiding Charizard's attack.

"I wasn't expecting that," Ash groaned. "Stay alert, Charizard! They can attack from anywhere!" The Flame Pokémon nodded and scanned the ground, looking for anything that would tell him where Infernape was going to attack from.

"Now, Flare Blitz!" Nikki called. The ground right beneath Charizard burst upward as Infernape charged into the dragon, his body engulfed in bluish flames. Charizard had no time to react and could only take the attack. The resulting collision sent the Flame Pokémon spiraling to the ground while Infernape landed safely on his feet.

"Use Mach Punch before he can recover!" Nikki shouted. Infernape once again charged Charizard, his fist drawn back for a Mach Punch.

"Counter with Seismic Toss!" Ash shouted. Right before the punch connected Charizard ducked his head to the side, letting Infernape's fist pass by. He then grabbed the fire monkey's arm and took flight once again. Once he reached optimal height he began making rotations in the air, preparing to deliver the final slam.

"Bring it home!" Ash cheered. With a loud roar Charizard dove towards the ground, bringing Infernape with him. Right before slamming into the ground he slung the monkey downward, the impact kicking up a large cloud of dirt. Charizard landed in front of Ash and glanced back at the dust cloud. The dust was settling, revealing a very tired, but still standing Infernape. Despite only landing one hit each both Pokémon had been launching high-power attacks and both were running low on energy.

"(Looks like it's going to come down to one last attack from both of them,)" Pikachu observed.

"(This is going to be big, isn't it?)" Buneary questioned.

"(Knowing Charizard and Infernape… oh yeah, this is going to be huge,)" Pikachu answered.

"(I'm sure Ash and Nikki won't be disappointed,)" Venusaur commented.

"Let's try finishing this with one move, Infernape! Flare Blitz!" Nikki shouted.

"Stop him with Overheat!" Ash instructed. Both Pokémon began powering up their final attacks. Infernape's body became engulfed in a blue flame while Charizard's body gave off a red aura.

"Attack now!" the trainers shouted simultaneously. Right then Infernape charged head-on towards Charizard. At the same time the dragon let loose the spiraling fire beam. The Flare Blitz collided violently with the Overheat with neither attack having the clear advantage.

"(Looks like we've got another stalemate,)" Shinx commented.

"(I don't think so. Look,)" Larvitar argued. At first it looked as though both attacks were equal in strength, but slowly Infernape's Flare Blitz began to overpower Charizard's Overheat.

"That's it, Infernape! Keep it up!" Nikki cheered.

"Don't give in, Charizard!" Ash urged. Both Pokémon pushed themselves to the limit, neither one wanting to give an inch. Suddenly, the flame on the tip of Charizard's tail erupted into a giant blaze. At the same time the flame on Infernape's head did the same. As soon as that happened both attacks grew in strength and ferocity.

"(Oh boy… I was not expecting this,)" Pikachu said.

"(What's happening?)" Swablu asked.

"(It's Blaze, their special ability,)" Venusaur answered. "(It activates when they're low on strength and boosts the power of their Fire-based attacks.)" With their attacks now super-charged Charizard and Infernape continued to overpower each other. As the struggle continued the power contained within the two attacks became unstable, resulting in a massive explosion that forced everyone to cover up.

"Is everyone alright?" Ash called.

"I'm alright," Nikki replied. "What about the Pokémon?"

"(We're okay,)" Pikachu said. Charizard and Infernape, however, were not okay. The sparring battle had left them both worn out. Yet despite their obvious exhaustion both Pokémon appeared eager to continue.

"I think we should let them rest for now," Nikki suggested.

"Good idea," Ash agreed. "Okay, that's enough for now. Take a break, you two." They didn't need to be told twice, for as soon as Ash told them to take a break both Charizard and Infernape fell to the ground, completely exhausted.

"(Oh man… I can't remember… the last time… I had a workout… like that,)" Charizard panted.

"(Me…neither,)" Infernape agreed. "(You're… just as strong… as I imagined… you'd be.)"

"(You… too,)" Charizard said. While the two of them recovered from their heated battle Ash and Nikki were talking about the impressive strength each Pokémon showed.

"Man, Charizard was a lot stronger than I thought he would be," Nikki commented.

"I know, and the way you handled Infernape during the battle was amazing. You acted like you were his trainer instead of me," Ash said.

"I just had to think like a trainer rather than a coordinator," Nikki explained.

"Well it worked," Ash said. "Thanks to that battle I know that both Charizard and Infernape are more than strong enough to handle anything that gets thrown their way."

"Glad I could help," Nikki said. "What's next on the agenda?"

"Well…"

"(Hey, I wanna battle!)" Larvitar shouted, catching everyone by surprise.

"You, Larvitar?" Ash asked, making sure he heard her correctly.

"(Yeah. I've gotten stronger too,)" she stated.

"I don't know," Ash said.

"(I say let her battle,)" Pikachu stated.

"You do?" Ash questioned.

"(Sure. She did say she's gotten stronger, and I'm curious to see just how strong. Besides, it's only fair we give her a shot,)" Pikachu explained. As usual Ash found it hard to argue with Pikachu's logic.

"Okay, then. You're up, Larvitar!" he called.

"(Alright!)" the Rock Skin Pokémon cheered. She quickly ran out onto the battlefield and took her place in front of Ash. Now all she needed was an opponent.

"Now… who to put you against." Before Ash could decide on an opponent for Larvitar Vulpix stepped forward.

"(I'd like to face her,)" the Fox Pokémon announced.

"You would?" Nikki questioned.

"(If it's alright with you, that is,)" Vulpix replied. To Ash it seemed like a rather odd request since Vulpix had a type disadvantage, but after some thought Nikki seemed to like the sound of it.

"It's not actually a bad idea. Both Larvitar and Vulpix are our two newest members so I think they'd match up well against each other," she explained.

"When you put it that way it does make sense," Ash admitted. "Alright. Let's do it." As Vulpix took her place on the battlefield Ash took time to learn what move Larvitar knew.

**Larvitar's known moves are: Sandstorm, Screech, Dig, Stone Edge**

"Those are some good moves," Ash commented. Now that the trainers and Pokémon were ready the sparring match was all set to begin.

"(Good luck, Vulpix,)" Larvitar said.

"(You too,)" Vulpix replied.

"You have the first move, Nikki," Ash called.

"Fine by me. Vulpix, Energy Ball!" Within seconds the Grass type attack was formed and launched at Larvitar.

"Dodge and use Stone Edge!" Ash shouted. Larvitar quickly dove to the side, avoiding the super effective attack and retaliated with Stone Edge, sending dozens of razor-sharp rocks towards Vulpix.

"Defend with Iron Tail!" Nikki countered. Vulpix looked surprisingly calm as she powered up her Iron Tail. Then, with one accurate swing, she struck one of the rocks in a way that sent it careening into the remaining rocks, creating a chain-reaction of rocks crashing into each other. This not only broke up the attack but it also sent each rock flying safely away from Vulpix, leaving her untouched.

"Nice counter," Ash praised.

"Thanks, but I'm not done yet. Fire Spin!" Vulpix opened her mouth and let loose a spiraling trail of fire.

"Counter with Screech!" Ash shouted. At that moment an ear-piercing scream came from Larvitar's mouth. The Screech attack slammed into the Fire Spin, disrupting the Fire attack and causing it to dissipate. Larvitar's attack continued on course and devastated Vulpix's sensitive ears.

"Now use Dig!" Ash instructed. While the Fox Pokémon was still recovering from her Screech attack Larvitar quickly dug underground. By the time the effects of Screech had worn off the Rock Skin Pokémon was safely underground.

"This isn't good," Nikki said. "Careful, Vulpix! Larvitar can come up anywhere!" With a nod Vulpix began to carefully look around the battlefield, trying to determine where and when Larvitar would pop up. To her this was the same strategy Nikki had used against Ash when they were battling with Charizard and Infernape a few minutes ago, meaning that Ash would more than likely have Larvitar strike whenever she wasn't paying attention.

"_(Not like I plan on letting that happen,)"_ she said. Unfortunately for Vulpix as alert as she may have been she couldn't see behind her, something she found out the hard way when she felt something yank on her tails.

"(What the?)" she yelped. She pulled her tails free and spun around just in time to see Larvitar disappear back underground.

"(Okay… wasn't expecting that,)" the Fox Pokémon commented. She once again went back to scanning the area, intent on making sure Larvitar didn't surprise her again. Again, though, she could not see behind her, which is where Larvitar was slowly coming back up.

"(Let's see how you like this,)" she whispered. Being as quiet as possible she reached out and took hold of Vulpix's leg. As soon as she grabbed her Larvitar darted back underground, pulling Vulpix's leg down with her. A surprised scream came from the Fox Pokémon as she felt herself being pulled down, but as quickly as it happened she pulled her leg free, turning to once again see a hole left behind by Larvitar.

"(Man… just how am I supposed to beat her if I can't see where she's attacking from?)" Vulpix growled. In Nikki's eyes Larvitar was a very worthy opponent.

"I don't know if this is what Ash planned, but right now Larvitar has Vulpix on the ropes," Nikki commented. "She's got Vulpix completely off her game right now." In truth Ash was not expecting this as he too was surprised by Larvitar's battling skills.

"I was not expecting this. Larvitar looks like a pro out there," he said. Vulpix was constantly looking back and forth, spinning around just to make sure Larvitar didn't sneak up on her again. The Rock Skin Pokémon's stick-and-move strikes had her a bit nervous, and the fact that she was at a type disadvantage didn't help matters.

"(Okay… just stay calm and make sure to keep an eye out for anything,)" Vulpix said, trying to calm her nerves. As her eyes darted all over the battlefield she caught a bit of movement. A small patch of ground seemed to be bulging upwards, indicating that Larvitar was about to come up to the surface. A smirk appeared on Vulpix's face once she realized the advantage she now had.

"(I've got you this time,)" she stated in a whisper. Walking as softly as she could the Fox Pokémon approached the spot and waited for Larvitar to pop up. Her wait wasn't long, for mere moments later Larvitar surfaced. She was expecting to once again be behind Vulpix, but when she didn't see the Fox Pokémon she began to wonder what went wrong.

"(Just where is she?)" Larvitar wondered.

"(Looking for me?)" Larvitar quickly turned around and came face-to-face with a smiling Vulpix.

"(Oh no!)" She quickly tried to escape back underground, but Vulpix wasn't about to let that happen. Before Larvitar could get away she bit down on her tail, preventing the Rock Skin Pokémon's escape.

"(Let me go!)" Larvitar demanded.

"(Not a chance! I'm not letting you get away again!)" Vulpix replied through clenched teeth. Despite Larvitar's best efforts to get free Vulpix held strong, preventing the Rock Skin Pokémon from getting away.

"Don't give up, Larvitar!" Ash urged.

"Pull, Vulpix! You've almost got her!" Nikki cheered. Spurred on by her trainer Vulpix mustered up all the strength she could and yanked Larvitar out of the ground, tossing her up into the air.

"No, Larvitar!" Ash shouted.

"Use Energy Ball!" Nikki instructed. Vulpix quickly formed the attack, but rather than launch it normally she gently tossed it up into the air. Then, as it fell back down, she spun around and struck it with a powerful back kick, sending it flying towards Larvitar with much more force than normal. The result was an even more impactful hit from the super-effective attack that damaged Larvitar a great deal.

"Now close in and use Iron Tail!" Nikki said. While Larvitar was still dazed from the attack Vulpix charged her, her six tails taking on a silvery glow.

"Stop her with Screech!" Ash shouted. Larvitar quickly shook off the dazed feeling, took a deep breath and let loose a Screech that paralyzed Vulpix in her tracks.

"Now use Stone Edge!" Ash continued. Larvitar ended her Screech attack and began forming her Stone Edge. Once it was formed she hurled the razor sharp rocks at Vulpix. The Fox Pokémon was still recovering from Screech and could do nothing to defend herself from the super-effective Stone Edge. By now both Pokémon were breathing heavily and looked low on energy.

"(Man… those attacks really took a lot out of them,)" Swablu commented.

"(They each took a super-effective attack so it's no wonder they're running on empty,)" Venusaur added. "(Looks to me the battle will be decided on the next attack.)"

"(You think so?)" Buneary asked.

"(I'm positive,)" the Seed Pokémon replied.

"Larvitar, get back underground!" Ash shouted. Though she was still trying to recover from the recent series of attacks Larvitar managed to dig underground, a move that didn't go unnoticed.

"Follow Larvitar down that hole, Vulpix! We can't let her get away!" Nikki instructed. Once she had recovered from the Stone Edge Vulpix spotted the hole Larvitar had escaped down. She ran to the hole and dove down, following the Rock Skin Pokémon underground. Ash had a shocked look on his face. This was not something he was expecting.

"Larvitar, use Sandstorm!" he yelled.

"Flamethrower, Vulpix!" Nikki countered. Because their Pokémon were underground neither trainer were sure if they had heard them, but after a few seconds a swirling column of sand erupted from the hole Larvitar and Vulpix went down. Shortly after that a column of fire spewed from another hole. This continued until multiple columns of sand and fire were spewing from the ground. After a while a section of ground in the middle of the battlefield began to arch upwards.

"(Heads up!)" Pikachu called. Right after his warning the ground exploded, sending chunks of dirt, as well as sand and fire, spiraling into the sky. The display was brief, and when it was over both Larvitar and Vulpix fell to the ground, having been caught up in the massive eruption.

"Larvitar!" Ash called.

"Vulpix, are you alright?" Nikki panicked. Both Pokémon managed to stand up, but they were on shaky legs.

"I think they've battled enough, don't you?" Ash said.

"I'll say," Nikki agreed. Since the battle was over both Larvitar and Vulpix were able to relax. They fell to the ground, completely exhausted. Ash and Nikki walked over to them and picked them up, both proud of the effort they had shown.

"You battled really hard out there, Vulpix. I'm so proud of you," Nikki praised.

"The same goes for you, Larvitar. You really impressed me out there," Ash added. "I know you're going to become incredibly strong." Both Pokémon, though tired, smiled at the praise they were receiving.

"You know, I think this deserves a special dinner. What do you think?" Nikki asked. Before anyone could answer Ash's stomach decided to chime in.

"I think that speaks for itself," Ash laughed.

"That it does," Nikki agreed. Everyone had a good laugh about that before focusing on helping Nikki prepare their dinner.

* * *

"Excellent as always, Nikki," Ash praised as he finished his dinner. The Pokémon had similar compliments as they finished as well. Even Charizard and Larvitar, who had never tasted Nikki's food before then, admitted it was some of the best they had.

"Thanks, everyone. After those sparring battles earlier I felt everyone deserved the best meal I could cook," Nikki replied.

"And speaking of those battle you guys really made me proud," Ash praised. "All of you have gotten so strong, especially Vulpix and Larvitar."

"I know. The tactics Larvitar used out there made it seem like she was a pro right out the gates," Nikki added. "And Vulpix… I knew how strong you were already, but the amount of heart you showed out there was nothing short of incredible."

"(I have to agree. Infernape and I may have been the strongest ones battling, but you and Vulpix stole the show out there,)" Charizard commented. The other Pokémon all agreed that Larvitar and Vulpix really impressed out there today.

"(Aww… thanks, everyone,)" Larvitar said.

"(You know, this brings to mind the time I crossed paths with an angry Graveler,)" Vulpix stated.

"(Really? What happened?)" Larvitar asked. Vulpix smiled as she began.

"(Well, it was raining Meowth and Growlithe outside, and I happened to be caught up in the middle of it. There was a cave nearby and I decided to take shelter inside. What I didn't know was that it already belonged to a very territorial Graveler, and let me tell you he did not like the fact that I just came barging in without an invitation. So…)"

"(Doo you think this is another one of her tall tales?)" Buneary wondered.

"(There's no telling, but judging by the excited look on Larvitar's face I'd say it doesn't really matter,)" Pikachu stated. As Larvitar continued to listen to Vulpix's story one could only wonder what the future held for Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon.

* * *

A strong sparring session has left both Ash and Nikki feeling confident about their Pokémon's abilities. How will this affect future battles, like Ash's battle against his first Area Boss? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	33. Tech Upgrade

**Chapter 33: Tech Upgrade**

"Where are we?" After a bit more traveling Ash and Nikki found themselves standing in a rather busy city. Skyscrapers threatened to block out the sky, while stores with bright neon signs lined the streets. It didn't take Nikki long to recognize just where they were.

"This is Neutron City," she announced.

"Neutron City?" Ash inquired.

"It's considered the technological center of the entire Legenda region," Nikki explained. "My family and I used to come here a lot when we were first getting our daycare up and running."

"It's a long way to Pinegrove Town from here," Ash commented.

"Trust me, we were well aware of that. That's why we made sure to stock up on whatever we needed before heading back home," Nikki explained.

"(Seems that would have been easy with all the stores here,)" Pikachu commented.

"(You said it,)" Buneary agreed. Taking a bit more time to take in the scenery they quickly realized how easy it would be to get lost.

"You wouldn't happen to remember where the Pokémon Center is, do you?" Ash wondered. Nikki looked around at their surroundings, trying to determine which way to go to get to the Pokémon Center.

"I… have no idea," she announced.

"You're kidding," Ash groaned.

"It's been a long time since I've been here. Things have changed since my last visit," Nikki replied. "And besides, this is a big city. Even if things hadn't changed it'd still be hard to find the Pokémon Center."

"Looks like we'll have to search for it on our own," Ash assumed.

"Or perhaps we could help you find your way." Ash and Nikki spun around and saw two people they were not expecting to meet.

"Professor Oak," Ash said.

"And Professor Redwood," Nikki added. "What brings you here?"

"We're here on official business. We were actually on our way back to the Pokémon Center when we spotted you," Professor Oak explained. "I assume that's where you were heading."

"We would… if we knew where it was," Nikki admitted.

"We'd be more than happy to show you the way," Professor Redwood offered.

"That'd be great." Ash and Nikki followed the professors on their way to the Pokémon Center, completely unaware of the fact they were being watched.

* * *

With the two professors leading the way it took no time at all for them to find the Pokémon Center. As they neared the building Ash was finishing telling the professors of his and Nikki's recent adventures, as well as the newest additions to their ever-growing family.

"So Charizard and Larvitar joined you," Professor Oak commented.

"Yeah. Liza said that's why they wanted to come find me," Ash explained. "She also told me you told her where I was and that's how she knew where to look."

"I just told her you were in the Legenda region. It was Professor Redwood who guided her from there," Professor Oak stated.

"Well thanks to the both of you I've got two new Pokémon," Ash said.

"I'm sure they'll help you in the Legenda League," Professor Oak said. "Speaking of which how are you faring?" Ash proceeded to take out his badge case and opened it up.

"I've already got two badges," Ash bragged. "Now I just need to find the Area Boss so I can earn my first Crest."

"That's rather impressive," Professor Redwood praised. "And how about you, Nikki? How are you doing as a coordinator?" The coordinator in question hung her head in disappointment.

"Not so good. I still haven't earned my first ribbon," she sighed.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. You'll get your first ribbon soon enough," Professor Redwood stated.

"I hope you're right. If I don't get on track soon I fear I may miss the Grand Festival," Nikki said.

"You'll make it. Trust me," Ash stated. There was a certain confidence in his voice that made Nikki believe him.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Ash," she said. They continued talking as they entered the Pokémon Center, while outside two suspicious individuals observed.

"I wasn't expecting them to have escorts," the first one griped.

"Those were kids, not escorts," the second corrected.

"But they had Pokémon. Didn't you see that?" the first argued.

"A Pikachu and a Buneary, big deal," the second scoffed. "Look, just forget about those kids and remember what we're here for."

"Yeah, alright," the first relented.

"We pull this off we'll be in the money," the second stated. With their goal clear they approached the Pokémon Center.

* * *

"You're Pokémon are all in perfect health," Nurse Joy announced as she returned Ash and Nikki's Pokémon.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," they said as they received their Poké Balls.

"It was my pleasure," the nurse replied. "Also, the update completed just a little while ago, professors."

"Ah, thank you," Professor Oak said, piquing the curiosity of the two young trainers.

"Update? Update to what?" Nikki inquired. A smile graced the professor's lips as he prepared to explain.

"The update Nurse Joy spoke of is the final update to the project Professor Redwood and I have been working on," he explained.

"It's the main reason Professor Oak and I are here in Neutron City," Professor Redwood added.

"What is it?" Ash wondered.

"This." Professor Oak walked over to the front desk where Nurse Joy handed him two objects. He then walked back and showed Ash and Nikki.

"The next evolution of the Pokédex," he announced. "We call it… the Pokécomm."

"Pokécomm?" Ash questioned.

"Short for Pokémon computer," Professor Redwood said. "With this trainers and coordinators will have a much easier time on their journeys." The device was no bigger than a standard Pokédex, but when the professor opened it up they saw it was much more. It looked like a small laptop computer with a small screen on top and a keyboard on the bottom.

"It still provides trainers with the standard information regarding the various Pokémon they encounter, but now it does so much more," Professor Oak stated. "With this you can now determine whether the Pokémon you've encountered is wild or not, and if it does indeed have a trainer who that trainer is and where they are."

"It also comes with GPS so you'll never get lost," Professor Redwood added.

"(Or in Ash's case not get lost as often,)" Pikachu commented.

"Pikachu!" Ash groaned, getting a laugh out of his faithful companion.

"It also comes with a built-in videophone so you can contact anyone you want from wherever you are," Professor Redwood continued.

"(That's convenient,)" Buneary commented.

"That it is," Professor Oak agreed. "With all the features included with the Pokécomm trainers and coordinators alike will find their journeys much easier."

"And we have plenty Pokécomms here to distribute," Professor Redwood announced. She was standing next to a table with two large boxes filled with Pokécomms.

"Wow. That's a lot," Ash commented.

"You're planning on handing out all of them?" Nikki inquired.

"If not all then as many as we can. The more trainers and coordinators that we give them out to the better," Professor Oak stated. At that moment the doors to the Pokémon Center opened and two individuals walked in.

"Excuse me, Nurse Joy," the first called.

"Yes? How can I help you?" the nurse offered. The first individual walked up to the front desk and handed her a Poké Ball.

"We found this Pokémon outside. He wasn't looking too good so we captured him. We'd appreciate it if you took a look at him," the second explained.

"That's what I'm here for," Nurse Joy stated. "Now let's just see… ah!" As soon as she went to open the Poké Ball it spewed a thick smoke cloud, obscuring everyone's vision.

"What's happening?!" Nikki called.

"I don't know! I can't see!" Ash shouted. After about a minute the smoke dissipated, allowing everyone to see once again.

"Is everyone alright?" Professor Oak asked.

"I think so," Nikki replied.

"We're fine," Ash said. "Who were those guys anyway?"

"And what did they want?" Nikki added.

"Oh no! The Pokécomms are gone!" Professor Redwood cried. The boxes that once sat on the table next to her were now gone, indicating that the two individuals were after them from the beginning.

"They were nothing but thieves!" Ash shouted.

"Someone needs to call Officer Jenny!" Nikki suggested.

"I'm on it," Nurse Joy said. While she called the authorities Ash, Nikki and the professors were deciding their next move.

"We need to track those thieves down before they get too far away," Ash stated.

"That's going to be easier said than done, my boy," Professor Oak said. "Neutron City is rather large, and with no way of tracking the thieves they can disappear quite easily."

"You leave the tracking to me," Nikki declared. She grabbed two Poké Balls and tossed them.

"Shinx! Vulpix! We need your help!" she called. The two Pokémon appeared and awaited instructions from Nikki.

"We need help tracking a pair of thieves. Can you give us a hand?" Nikki requested.

"(Sure,)" Shinx agreed.

"(Just leave it to us,)" Vulpix declared.

"Good. Now we just need something the thieves had that they can get a scent off of," Professor Redwood said.

"Would this do?" Nurse Joy asked. She was still holding the device the thieves used to cover their escape.

"Yes, that'll be perfect," Professor Redwood said. She took the device and held it down in front of Vulpix and Shinx, letting the two Pokémon get the thieves' scent off it. Once they had the scent memorized they began searching the Pokémon Center lobby for the thieves' trail.

"Do you think they can find it?" Ash wondered.

"Yeah. I believe in them," Nikki replied. A short while later Shinx managed to pick up their trail.

"(Found it!)" she announced.

"Great! Lead the way." With the Flash Pokémon leading the way the group left the Pokémon Center.

"I'll tell Officer Jenny you went to look for the thieves!" Nurse Joy called.

"We'll let you know when we find them!" Professor Oak said. Nurse Joy nodded and went back inside the Pokémon Center to await Officer Jenny's arrival.

* * *

The two thieves had put some distance between themselves and the Pokémon Center. They had found refuge in an abandoned warehouse just on the outskirts of the city. Confident they had gotten away with their prize they paused to see just what they had.

"What are these things?" the first asked as he held one of the Pokécomms in his hand.

"I don't know, but if those professors made them then they have to be valuable," the second assumed. "All we have to do is find the right client."

"You really think we'll find someone here?" the first wondered.

"Of course we will. Neutron City is full of big spenders. All we have to do is find the right one," the second stated.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's get searching," the first said.

"Now you're talking," the second declared. He got up and headed for the warehouse door.

"Hold on. We're just going to leave these things siting out in the open like this?" the first asked.

"Why not? It's not like anyone knows this stuff is here," the second explained. He figured his partner was right as he got up and headed towards the warehouse door.

Those boxes should be safe until we get back with…"

"Hold it right here!" Both thieves were shocked to see Ash, Nikki and the professors standing mere feet from the door.

"What the?! I thought you said no one knew where we were!" the first shouted.

"They must have followed us here," the second assumed.

"Give back what you stole right now!" Nikki demanded.

"Not a chance!" the first thief refused. "The only way we'd give these things up is if the price was right."

"So unless you're here to buy them from us I suggest you keep moving," the second suggested.

"No way! The professors worked too hard on those to just let you steal them," Ash argued.

"Then I guess we're going to have to make you leave." The two thieves each took out a Poké Ball, prompting Ash and Nikki to do the same.

"Get them, Weezing!"

"Teach them a lesson, Machoke!" The thieves tossed their Poké Balls and called out their Pokémon.

"Go, Swablu!"

"Charizard, I choose you!" Neither thief seemed concerned when Nikki's Swablu appeared on the field, but their demeanor soon changed once Ash's mighty Charizard made his entrance. The shock wore off quickly, though.

"Come on! Let's take care of these kids!" the first thief declared. "Use Sludge Bomb!"

"Give them a taste of your Rock Slide, Machoke!" the second ordered. Their Weezing spat out a glob of poison while the second called forth massive rocks to come crashing down.

"Dodge!" Ash and Nikki shouted. It took little effort for Charizard and Swablu to avoid the attacks, giving Ash and Nikki the opportunity to counter-attack.

"Featherdance, Swablu!" Nikki called. Her Cotton Bird Pokémon quickly flew circles around the thieves' Pokémon, blanketing them in the shimmering Featherdance. Eventually the Weezing and Machoke began to feel the effects of the attack-lowering technique.

"Hit them with Steel Wing, Charizard!" Ash instructed. With both of the thieves' Pokémon currently weakened by Swablu's Featherdance it was easy for Charizard to land a powerful Steel Wing, sending both Pokémon reeling.

"Let's finish this! Dragon Pulse!" Nikki shouted.

"Flamethrower!" Ash added. There was nothing the thieves' Pokémon could do but watch as the two attacks were fired in their direction. From Swablu came a blue sphere of Dragon-type energy while Charizard spewed forth a massive flame. The two attacks engulfed the Weezing and Machoke, and once they had dissipated there was no doubt Ash and Nikki had emerged victorious.

"You're finished! Now return what you stole from us!" Professor Redwood demanded. Their Pokémon defeated the thieves were left with only one option.

"Let's scram!" No one was prepared to see them attempt to run away.

"They're getting away!" Nikki shouted.

"Oh no they're not!" Ash declared, grabbing a second Poké Ball. "Stop them, Larvitar!" The Rock Skin Pokémon appeared moments later and quickly dug underground.

"Where's she going?" Nikki wondered. She got her answer when the ground beneath the thieves suddenly gave way.

"She used Dig to make a pit trap for them to fall into," Professor Redwood observed. "That's one clever Pokémon."

"That she is," Ash agreed. Moments later Larvitar resurfaced, a smile on her face.

"Good job, Larvitar," Ash praised.

"(Thanks, Ash,)" Larvitar replied. The group walked to the edge of the pit and looked down. The thieves weren't hurt, but they clearly weren't going anywhere.

"Guess all that's left to do now is let Officer Jenny know where we are and find the Pokécomms," Ash stated.

"They're probably in that warehouse they came out of," Nikki guessed.

"Would you two mind looking for us while we wait for Officer Jenny to arrive?" Professor Oak requested.

"Leave it to us. If they're in there we'll find them," Nikki stated. While the professors stayed outside Ash and Nikki entered the warehouse to search for the Pokécomms.

"They probably left them in the boxes the professors had them in," Ash assumed. "That should make them easier to spot."

"There they are!" Nikki declared. The boxes were sitting out in the open on a table right in the middle of the warehouse. The two trainers approached the boxes and peered inside.

"Looks like they're all here," Nikki said.

"Come on. Let's get these outside." Ash and Nikki each grabbed a box and headed outside to rejoin the professors.

* * *

It only took a few short minutes for Officer Jenny to arrive. After securing the two thieves in the back of the police van she got a statement from Ash, Nikki and the professors regarding what happened at the Pokémon Center.

"Sounds to me they weren't anything but two-bit thieves looking for some easy money," Officer Jenny assumed once she finished recording the statements.

"Thankfully we were able to stop them and get the Pokécomms back before they could make their easy money," Professor Oak said.

"I agree, and now I think it's time to put these two where they belong… in jail," Officer Jenny declared. She saluted before entering the police van. As Officer Jenny drove off Ash, Nikki and the professors were left to thank their lucky stars they were able to stop the thieves.

"Looks like we may need to keep the Pokécomms in a more secure place from now on," Professor Oak commented. "If this happens again we won't have the two of you to help us."

"Let's just hope it doesn't," Nikki said.

"Agreed. In the meantime let's take these back to the Pokémon Center," Professor Redwood suggested. Ash and Nikki each took one of the boxes and followed the professors as the group headed back to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center the group decided that it would be in their best interest for Nurse Joy to secure the Pokécomms inside the Poké Ball storage room until they were ready to be distributed. Ash and Nikki were waiting in the Pokémon Center lobby while the professors were with Nurse Joy storing the Pokécomms.

"Hopefully storing the Pokécomms there will prevent them from being stolen again," Nikki said.

"(We can only hope,)" Pikachu commented. A short while later Nurse Joy and the professors returned.

"There. The Pokécomms have been put away safely," Professor Oak announced.

"That's good," Ash said.

"We want to thank you two for helping us recover them," Professor Redwood said.

"Yes, and we feel that this is appropriate," Professor Oak added. The professors then each handed Ash and Nikki a Pokécomm.

"We want you two to have the very first Pokécomms," Professor Oak offered.

"Us?" Ash questioned.

"Yes. If it weren't for you two we wouldn't have them right now. We feel it's only right you receive the first ones," Professor Oak explained. This was not what Ash and Nikki were expecting, but at the same time they couldn't say no.

"Thank you," Nikki said as they received their Pokécomms.

"We had a feeling you'd accept, so we took the liberty of programming your Pokécomms for you," Professor Redwood said. Ash and Nikki opened their Pokécomms and were immediately greeted with their trainer status.

"Trainer status?" Nikki wondered.

"That's right. With these you can keep track of how many ribbons and badges you've earned as well as keep track of what Pokémon you've captured," Professor Oak explained.

"Also, it will allow us to send you updates on all the Pokémon you've left with us. For you, Nikki, your Pokécomm will be registered with my lab while Ash's will be registered with Professor Oak's," Professor Redwood explained. To say Ash and Nikki were impressed would be an understatement.

"Man, is there anything these things can't do?" Ash wondered.

"Despite all it can do you still need to use the Poké Ball transporter at Pokémon Centers to send and receive Pokémon, but other than that the Pokécomm can take care of just about everything else a trainer or coordinator needs," Professor Oak stated. Eager to see what the Pokécomms could really do Nikki took a look at her trainer status screen.

**Name: **Nikita Lyons

**Hometown:** Pinegrove Town, Legenda

**Occupation:** Pokémon coordinator

**Ribbons won:** 0

"It may be true, but I still don't like seeing that zero next to my ribbon count," Nikki sighed.

"That zero will change soon enough," Ash stated. After reassuring Nikki Ash took a look at his trainer status screen.

**Name: **Ash Ketchum

**Hometown:** Pallet Town, Kanto

**Occupation:** Pokémon trainer

**Badges won:** 2

"Wow. These are awesome," Ash commented. Shortly after saying that the screen on his Pokécomm displayed a new message.

**2 Legenda League badges confirmed. Data update… Area Boss location confirmed.**

The Pokécomm immediately displayed the map of the Legenda region. Shortly after that it zoomed in on a location well north of their current location. A small red blip appeared on the map.

"If I'm not mistaken that's Red Sands Desert," Professor Redwood stated.

"Red Sands Desert?" Ash asked.

"That's right, and based on what your Pokémon is saying that's where you'll find the Area Boss," Professor Oak observed.

"So whenever I earn enough badges my Pokécomm will let me know where the Area Boss is?" Ash asked.

"That it will," Professor Oak confirmed. "It will also inform you of any nearby towns that have Gyms you can challenge."

"Cool!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yours will do the same thing Nikki, informing you of any town that's hosting a Pokémon Contest," Professor Redwood added.

"That's awesome," Nikki said.

"Okay, now that we know where the Area Boss is we can hit the road with confidence," Ash declared.

"Yeah, but how about we wait until the morning to do that," Nikki suggested. Looking outside they saw the sun was beginning to set.

"I didn't realize it was that late in the day," Ash said.

"Neither did we," Professor Oak said. "I'm sure there are still some vacant rooms here in the Pokémon Center."

"There are, and I'd be happy to give you stay here for the night," Nurse Joy said.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," the two trainers said. After a well-deserved rest Ash and Nikki would once again hit the road, this time knowing exactly where their next destination would be.

* * *

An unexpected meeting with Professors Oak and Redwood ends with Ash and Nikki bringing an end to a heist and earning new Pokécomms to replace their Pokédexes. Will these new pieces of technology make their journey any easier? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Plese review


	34. Royal Look-A-Like

Before getting to the chapter I'd like to promote a writer I feel has great stories worth reading. For those who enjoy my stories I suggest you check out stories written by Swagnilla-Ice-1985. He has really good stories here, and if you check out the links in his profile you'll find plenty more, so be sure to check his works out. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

**Chapter 34: Royal Look-A-Like**

Thanks to the Pokécomms Ash and Nikki received from the professors they now knew where to find the first Area Boss Ash needed to challenge. With Red Sands Desert their destination the group continued on with their journey.

"I wonder what kind of challenge I'll face with the Area Boss," Ash spoke.

"Who knows. It could be anything so you'll need to make sure you're prepared," Nikki advised.

"Don't worry, we'll be prepared," Ash declared. "Right, Pikachu?"

"(Right!)" the Electric Mouse Pokémon agreed. As the group continued on Buneary spotted something along the side of the path.

"(What's that?)" she asked.

"I think it's a Pokémon," Nikki answered. The Pokémon was a grey feline with a long swirling tail. Ash recognized it immediately.

"It's a Glameow," he stated. Nikki was curious to know more about this Pokémon, and so she took out her Pokécomm and scanned it.

**Name: Glameow**

**Species: The Catty Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: It hides its spiteful tendency of hooking its claws into the nose of its trainer if it isn't fed.**

"That could be painful," Nikki commented.

"(No kidding,)" Buneary agreed.

"Still, I think a Pokémon like that would be perfect for Contests," Nikki continued. She prepared to grab a Poké Ball when Ash called her attention to something.

"You might want to check and see if she already has a trainer first," he advised. Nikki had completely forgotten she could do that thanks to the Pokécomms she and Ash had received, but when she checked the Glameow once again what she discovered left her feeling slightly disappointed.

"She does have a trainer," the Pinegrove coordinator sighed.

"She does look too well groomed to be a wild Pokémon," Ash commented. He took a few steps towards the Glameow, but before he could get too close an arrow struck the ground in front of him, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Ash!" Nikki shouted. She quickly ran to his side.

"Are you alright?!" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ash replied. At that moment they all turned their attention to the mysterious arrow. Ash got back to his feet and walked over to it, removing it from the ground.

"Who do you think shot it?" Nikki questioned.

"I don't know, but I think that Glameow had something to do with it," Ash assumed.

"What do you mean?" Nikki asked.

"I think whoever she belongs to shot that arrow at us," Ash explained. Shortly after saying that two strangely dressed individuals approached them. Both were wearing what could only be described as medieval armor. One was brandishing a sword while the other had a bow. Both Ash and Nikki assumed he was the one who fired the arrow moments ago.

"Back away from that Glameow, thieves!" the one with the arrow demanded.

"Hold on one minute! We're not thieves!" Nikki declared.

"Your lies mean nothing to us! We know you coveted that Glameow!" the one with the sword accused.

"Well… yes, I did want to catch that Glameow, but that was before I knew she had a trainer," Nikki argued.

"Hmph, a likely story," the arrow-wielder spat.

"It's the truth!" Ash stated.

"You know nothing of the truth!" the sword-wielder countered. "We'll hear no more of your lies!"

"For the last time we're not lying!" Nikki argued.

"Silence! We shall tolerate your lies no more!" the arrow-wielder declared.

"What is the meaning of all this noise?!" Ash and Nikki had no idea who had spoken, but whoever it was sounded rather annoyed with everything that was happening. Another thing that surprised them was the fact that the two mysterious individuals who had accused them of being thieves had gone down on one knee with their heads bowed.

"Forgive us, Princess, but we found two thieves trying to steal your Glameow," the arrow-wielder said.

"Wait! Did they say 'Princess'?!" While Ash and Nikki were left stunned the person who called out to the two armored individuals appeared. She wore an elegant white dress, and as soon as she appeared the Glameow ran to her side.

"That must be her," Nikki commented. While Nikki was in awe of the princess Ash saw something that left both him and Pikachu speechless. Her voice and attire wasn't the same, but in Ash's mind there was no mistaking that face or that red hair. The princess saw Ash staring at her.

"Is there something wrong?" she questioned.

"… Misty? Is that you?" Ash asked. His seemingly innocent question angered the two armor-wearing individuals.

"Insolence! How dare you disrespect Her Majesty!"

"That's enough, Dante!"

"But Your Highness, the way this commoner addressed you was very disrespectful," the knight known as Dante argued.

"You forget that we are visitors to this land and my royal status is not known outside our kingdom," the princess explained.

"I… Yes, you are right." Dante then faced Ash and Nikki and bowed.

"Please, forgive our insolence," he begged.

"Don't worry about it," Ash said.

"Yeah. All is forgiven," Nikki added. "But I have to know… are you really a princess?"

"I am. My full name and title is Princess Susanna, heir to the royal throne of the Kingdom of Aquina," the princess replied. "Accompanying me are the kingdom's two best knights, Sir Dante and Sir Lando." The two knights bowed, a gesture that Ash and Nikki reciprocated.

"May I ask you names?" Susanna asked.

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu," Ash said.

"(Hello,)" Pikachu greeted.

"My name's Nikita, but everyone calls me Nikki," Nikki stated. "And this is Buneary."

"(Nice to meet you,)" Buneary said.

"Likewise," Susanna replied. "I must say your Pokémon appear to be well taken care of. I am impressed."

"Thank you, though I can say the same for your Glameow," Nikki stated.

"Yes. My dear Glameow our kingdom's symbol," the princess replied. "For generations the rulers of our kingdom have had a Glameow by their side. It is true for my mother, the Queen, as it was for her mother. For that reason we take great pride in the appearance of our Glameow."

"I had no idea," Nikki commented. At that moment Dante approached the princess.

"Your Highness, we must be going," he said.

"Yes, I suppose you are correct," Susanna agreed.

"Where are you heading?" Nikki questioned.

"To the north. The princess has a meeting with a representative of this region we must attend," Lando explained. "We were preparing to depart when you arrived."

"We're heading north as well," Ash commented.

"Truly? I would enjoy the pleasure of your company for a while," Susanna offered. Ash and Nikki weren't expecting the offer, but knowing this was more than likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity it was once they weren't going to pass up.

"We'd be honored to accompany you," Nikki responded.

"Excellent. I thank you," Susanna replied.

"I shall fetch the carriage," Dante said. He bowed and left to carry out his task, leaving Ash and Nikki to anticipate what was coming next.

* * *

For Nikki this was nothing short of a dream come true. As a little girl she always dreamed of this, but never in her life did she ever think she'd be riding in a carriage with an actual princess.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Nikki?" Susanna asked.

"Very much. To be honest this is something I've dreamed of doing when I was a little girl," Nikki admitted. The carriage itself was big enough for Ash, Nikki, Susanna and their Pokémon to ride in comfortably. Outside Lando held the reins to the two Rapidash pulling the carriage while Dante kept an eye out for trouble.

"I am curious. What are your goals on your journey?" Susanna inquired.

"I'm trying to qualify for the Legenda League. I've already got two badges and now I'm on my way to the Red Sands Desert for my first Area Boss battle," Ash explained.

"I've heard of the difficult challenges posed by the Legenda League. I find it impressive that you are taking up that challenge," Susanna praised.

"Thank you. We know it's not going to be easy, but that's just how we like it. Right, Pikachu?" Ash stated.

"(You bet!)" the Electric Mouse agreed.

"I am confident you will do well," Susanna said. "And what of you, Nikki? Are you attempting to qualify for the Legenda League as well?"

"No. I'm following in my mother's footsteps as a coordinator," Nikki answered. Upon hearing that Nikki was a coordinator Susanna's eyes lit up.

"I simply adore attending Pokémon Contests. We host Contests at the castle on a regular basis," the princess explained.

"I didn't know. Maybe one day I could compete in your kingdom," Nikki commented.

"I would consider it an honor if you did," Susanna said. Before the conversation could progress further the carriage came to a sudden stop.

"What is the meaning of this? Why have we stopped?" Susanna questioned.

"Forgive us, Your Highness, but our path forward has been blocked," Dante reported. Ash, Nikki and Princess Susanna exited the carriage and looked ahead. Just as Dante had said a massive tree had fallen across the path, preventing them from proceeding any further.

"Oh man… that's a huge problem," Ash commented.

"(You said it,)" Pikachu agreed. As the group gazed at the massive tree Buneary noticed something strange.

"(Hey. Does it look like someone or something cut that tree down to you?)" she pointed out. Upon closer inspection they realized Buneary was right.

"Strange. If what you say is true then it seems that this was done for the purpose of stopping us," Lando assumed.

"But who would do such a thing, and why?" Dante wondered. Before an answer could be given a loud commotion erupted behind the carriage. Moments later another tree fell behind them. Now they had no way of going forward or back.

"We've been boxed in!" Ash shouted.

"Who would do such a thing?!" Susanna asked. At that moment laughter filled the air.

"Who's there?! Show yourselves!" Dante demanded.

"As you wish." Shortly after that three figures appeared before them.

"I should have known it was you three!" Ash spat.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"Acquaintances of yours?" Susanna inquired.

"Not a chance. That's Team Rocket, a group of Pokémon thieves," Nikki explained.

"How uncouth! I shall not tolerate Pokémon thieves in my presence!" Susanna declared. "Dante! Lando! Dispatch of these hooligans immediately!"

"At once, Your Highness!" Dante replied. The two knights stood before Team Rocket, prepared for battle.

"You three! We demand you remove yourselves from the princess's presence at once!" Lando demanded.

"Princess?" Meowth questioned. As Team Rocket looked at the group they spotted Princess Susanna.

"Hey! It's the redhead twerp!" the Scratch Cat Pokémon called out. "I thought she stayed behind in Kanto."

"Who cares? The fact that she's here means we can get revenge on her for what she did to us in Kanto," Jessie declared.

"(Hey, Ash. They think Susanna is Misty too,)" Pikachu whispered.

"Yeah," Ash replied.

"Okay, twerp! It's time to pay you back!" Jessie declared. She and James each grabbed a Poké Ball, forcing Dante and Lando to do the same.

"We shall protect the princess! To my side, Grovyle!" Dante called.

"Charmeleon, prepare for battle!" Lando shouted. Their Poké Balls opened and revealed their Pokémon. Team Rocket appeared less than impressed.

"We've taken out tougher-looking Pokémon than those," Jessie spat. "Seviper, come out!"

"You too, Tropius!" James added. Two Poké Balls flew through the air. Jessie's opened to reveal Seviper while James's simply fell to the ground unopened.

"Not again! Would you start listening to me, Tropius?!" James wailed.

"Quit your bellyaching and send out a different one!" Jessie demanded. Grumbling James picked up Tropius's Poké Ball and grabbed a second one.

"If Tropius won't listen then I'll go with Carnivine!" he declared. He threw out his second Poké Ball. This time it did open, but rather than prepare for battle Carnivine turned around and bit down on James's head.

"Attack them, not me!" James shouted, removing Carnivine from his head and throwing him back onto the battlefield.

"Grovyle, Bullet Seed!" Dante commanded.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" Lando instructed. A barrage of seeds spewed forth from Grovyle's mouth while a stream of flames erupted from Charmeleon's.

"Haze, Seviper!" Jessie ordered. As the attacks approached them Seviper blanketed Team Rocket's side of the field with a thick Haze cloud. The two attacks entered the cloud, but gave no indication of whether they hit their intended targets or not.

"Cowards! Have you no honor?!" Dante criticized.

"Of course we don't!" Jessie stated.

"Honor is for goody-good loser like you and the twerps," James commented. "We battle to win by any means necessary."

"Speaking of which… Seviper, Poison Tail!" Jessie ordered. From within the Haze cloud Seviper's tail shot out, striking Grovyle across the face.

"Vine Whip!" James shouted. Shortly after Seviper's attack two vines shot out and slapped Charmeleon away. A short while after that the Haze cloud dissipated, revealing Team Rocket's Pokémon.

"Our attacks failed!" Lando shouted.

"As will your attempts to defeat us," Jessie declared. "Use Bite!"

"You too!" James added. Carnivine and Seviper charged forward, their mouths opened. Right then Ash knew Dante and Lando needed help. He grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it out.

"I don't think so, Team Rocket! It's time for you to meet an old friend!" he declared. The Poké Ball opened, and with a roar Team Rocket's worst nightmare made his presence known.

"C-Charizard!?" Team Rocket screamed.

"(Surprised to see me?)" the Flame Pokémon growled. Both Seviper and Carnivine cowered in the face of the large dragon.

"Let's give them a going-away present, Charizard! Flamethrower!" Ash called. The dragon smirked right before spewing a massive stream of flame from his mouth. The flames engulfed Team Rocket briefly before an explosion sent them on their way.

"I wasn't expecting him to have Charizard!" James wailed.

"Would it have really mattered?!" Meowth griped.

"Maybe next time!" Jessie declared. "But this time…"

"We're blasting off again!" Now that Team Rocket had been disposed of everyone could relax.

"Good work, Charizard," Ash praised.

"(That gets easier every time,)" Charizard commented.

"You certainly made that look easy," Nikki agreed. While this was going on Dante and Lando were making sure Princess Susanna was alright.

"Are you unharmed, Your Highness?" Dante inquired.

"Yes, I am alright," Susanna replied. "Thank you, Ash. Your assistance was most helpful."

"I agree. The power your Charizard showed was astounding," Lando praised.

"Thank you. Charizard has always been one of my stronger Pokémon," Ash explained. The Flame Pokémon let loose a stream of fire to further emphasize Ash's point.

"His power most definitely helped us dispose of those villains," the princess praised.

"Now if only they could help us clear these trees out of the way," Nikki commented.

"I'm confident they can," Ash said. "What do you think, Charizard?"

"(We'll have this cleared in no time,)" the dragon declared.

"In that case I say we get to work," Nikki suggested. "The sooner we start the sooner we'll have the road cleared." Ash and Nikki called on the remainder of their Pokémon and proceeded to clear the trees from the road.

* * *

As expected the road was cleared rather quickly with all the Pokémon pitching in, and soon they were once again on their way. Their trip was once again going smoothly until a fork in the road forced them to stop. Ash and Nikki's journey took them one way while Princess Susanna's meeting took her another.

"Though our time together has drawn to a close I feel fortunate to have met you, Ash and Nikki," Susanna declared.

"Thank you. We feel the same way," Nikki reciprocated.

"If my stay in Legenda would allow it I would feel honored to witness one of your performances in a Pokémon Contest," Susanna said.

"I hope it does. I'd love to perform in front of a royal audience," Nikki commented.

"In that case we'd better go find you a Contest to perform in," Ash suggested. He and Nikki were just about to continue on their journey when the princess called out to Ash.

"One moment, Ash. There is something I wish to ask you," she said.

"What is it?" Ash inquired.

"Both you and those villains acted as if you knew me. Why is that?" Susanna questioned.

"Yeah, and when we first met her you called her Misty," Nikki pointed out.

"Oh. You see, when I first started out as a trainer I had a friend named Misty. She's the Gym Leader at the Cerulean City Gym in the Kanto region. You and her look almost identical," Ash explained.

"Do we truly look that similar to each other?" Susanna asked.

"(Oh yeah. If I didn't know better I'd say you two were long-lost sisters or something,)" Pikachu stated.

"As a matter of fact I should have a picture of her somewhere," Ash said. He took off his backpack and began searching through it. Moments later he took out a photo.

"This is her," he said. The princess took a look at the picture. The photo was of Misty in her mermaid costume. With her hair extensions in she looked exactly like Princess Susanna.

"Goodness me, her resemblance to me is astounding," she commented. Dante and Lando looked at the photo as well and had similar comments.

"Tis true. Her resemblance to the princess is uncanny," Lando said.

"Indeed. She could easily be mistaken for Your Highness's sister," Dante agreed. Even Nikki had to agree that it was shocking mow much Misty and Princess Susanna looked alike.

"(It's too bad we don't have a picture of the princess to show Misty,)" Pikachu commented.

"But I know how we can get one," Nikki stated.

"Really? How?" Ash wondered. To answer his question Nikki took out her Pokécomm.

"We can just use the camera function on the Pokécomms," she replied.

"(That's a good idea,)" Buneary said.

"It is," Ash agreed. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. It would serve as a reminder of our time together," Susanna said. With an okay from the princess Nikki got ready to take the picture. It only took a few seconds for the photo to be taken.

"Okay, I've got the picture," she announced. "Now we can show it to your friend the next time we're at a Pokémon Center."

"(I bet Misty will be surprised,)" Pikachu commented.

"I know she will," Ash said. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," Susanna replied. "Until we meet again, my friends."

"Take care," Lando added.

"May you stay safe in your travels," Dante said.

"Goodbye," Ash said.

"Until next time," Nikki added. The two parties started on their separate paths, constantly waving to each other until they were out of sight.

"Come on. There may be a Pokémon Center up ahead," Ash said. He, Nikki and their Pokémon picked up their pace, hoping that what Ash said would prove to be true.

* * *

Thankfully for them Ash's assumption was correct, for a short while after departing from Princess Susanna's company the group happened upon a Pokémon Center. As soon as they entered Ash headed for the nearest videophone and called Misty.

"Cerulean City Gym. Misty speaking."

"Hey, Misty," Ash greeted.

"Ash! I wasn't expecting you to call," Misty replied. "How are things in Legenda?"

"Great. I'm making great progress in trying to qualify for the Legenda League," Ash bragged.

"(It's true. We're really on a roll now,)" Pikachu confirmed.

"That's great," Misty praised. Right then she noticed Nikki.

"You must be Ash's traveling companion," Misty said.

"That right. I'm Nikki," Nikki said. "And this is my partner, Buneary."

"(Hello,)" Buneary greeted.

"Such a cute Pokémon," Misty cooed. "Wait a minute. You didn't destroy her bike, did you?"

"No, Misty, I didn't destroy her bike," Ash said.

"Oh," Misty replied, somewhat shocked.

"… Team Rocket did," Ash said.

"Team Rocket?! You mean to tell me they followed you all the way out there?!" Misty shouted.

"Yeah. Big surprise," Ash groaned.

"I swear, it's like those three don't have anything better to do," Misty griped.

"I certainly feels that way," Ash agreed.

"So did you just call to talk or what?" Misty inquired.

"Actually we met someone who might surprise you," Ash announced.

"Really? Who would that be?" misty wondered.

"Your long-lost sister," Ash revealed.

"Come on, Ash. You know I don't have a long-lost sister," Misty argued.

"After seeing this you may think otherwise," Nikki stated. She took out her Pokécomm and pulled up the picture she took of Princess Susanna. When she showed it to Misty the Cerulean City Gym Leader gasped.

"Oh wow… you guys weren't kidding," she gasped.

"I know. At first I thought she was you, and even Team Rocket thought she was you," Ash explained.

"Amazing. To think there's a princess out there that looks like me," Misty commented. "It seems like you guys are having all kinds of interesting adventures out there."

"You wouldn't believe the half of it," Ash said. From then on the three friends traded stories of their adventures, from ones Ash and Nikki had in Legenda to ones from Ash's beginning years as a trainer. In the end a good time was had by all.

* * *

A brush with royalty has given Ash and Nikki an experience they will never forget. Now that the focus is back on Ash's upcoming Area Boss battle what preparations will be made by the Pallet Town trainer? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	35. The Root of the Problem

Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. Here's to making 2013 as awesome as possible.

**Chapter 35: The Root of the Problem**

"Not so fast, twerps!" Once again Ash and Nikki found themselves in the midst of a typical standoff with Team Rocket.

"Leave us alone!" Nikki demanded.

"We will as soon as we get what we want," Jessie stated.

"And that's your Pokémon," James declared.

"We're not giving you our Pokémon!" Ash refused.

"We don't want you to. It's so much more fun to take them by force," Meowth said.

"You're not going to do that either!" Ash declared as he and Nikki readied their Poké Balls. In response Team Rocket did the same.

"Seviper, Magcargo! Let's go!" Jessie shouted.

"Carnivine! Tropius! You too!" James called. Four Poké Balls flew through the air. Three of them opened. Seviper and Magcargo stood at the ready while James had to pry Carnivine from his head.

"Can't you attack the right targets for once?!" he griped. Once he got Carnivine under control he looked out and saw that Tropius's Poké Ball remained unopened.

"I'm getting real tired of this, Tropius!" James yelled. While James complained about his disobedient Pokémon Ash and Nikki sent theirs out.

"Swablu, Vulpix! Help us out!" Nikki called.

"Go, Sceptile and Meganium!" Ash shouted. As Ash and Nikki's Pokémon emerged Tropius's Poké Ball began to shake. Upon hearing Meganium being sent out the Fruit Pokémon finally emerged from his Poké Ball.

"It's about time you decided to show up when I call you!" James shouted. What he didn't know was that, even though Tropius appeared the Fruit Pokémon was not listening to him. All Tropius cared about was Meganium. When he spotted her his heart soared, but just as quickly his overjoyed demeanor turned venomous once he saw who she was standing next to…

His archrival… Sceptile.

The mere sight of the Forest Pokémon was enough to make his blood boil. In his mind Meganium belonged with him and him alone, and he wouldn't let any other Pokémon come between them.

"Seviper, Poison Tail! Magcargo, Flamethrower!" Jessie ordered.

"Carnivine, Vine Whip! Tropius, Magical Leaf!" James shouted. Seviper, Magcargo and Carnivine sprang into action, but Tropius remained motionless.

"What are you waiting for, Tropius?! I said use Magical Leaf!" James yelled.

"Swablu, use Featherdance, and Vulpix, you use Flamethrower!" Nikki instructed.

"Meganium, use Protect! Sceptile, X-Scissor!" Ash called. The Pokémon sprang into action as a flurry of attacks was unleashed. Swablu dodged Seviper's Poison Tail and then sprinkled him with Featherdance, weakening him considerably. Vulpix meanwhile canceled out Magcargo's Flamethrower with her own. Meganium used Protect to guard herself from Carnivine's Vine Whip while Sceptile jumped over the attack and struck him with a super-effective X-Scissor. During all this, though, Tropius refused to engage in the battle, his eyes never leaving Sceptile.

"Come on, James! We're getting creamed out here! Get that Tropius in the game!" Meowth demanded.

"I'm trying, but he's not listening!" James protested.

"Time to end this! Use Vine Whip!" Ash shouted.

"Vulpix, use Iron Tail!" Nikki called. Meganium dropped her Protect and used her Vine Whip to grab Carnivine and throw him into Tropius. Meanwhile Vulpix used an Iron Tail to send Seviper crashing into Magcargo. All four Pokémon landed in a heap in front of their trainers.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

"Buneary, Hidden Power!" Nikki added. The two projectile attacks hit home, resulting in an all-too-familiar explosive sendoff for Team Rocket.

"We're blasting off again!"

"Alright! Good work, everyone!" Ash praised. The Pokémon were all beaming with pride. Out of the corner of his eye Sceptile glanced at Meganium. A smile crossed his face once he saw how happy she was, but then he saw her turn her gaze to him. As quickly as he could he looked away, but even that did little to hide the blush that was on his cheeks. Meganium smiled once she realized what just happened. Perhaps she would see where things between her and Sceptile would go from here.

* * *

Miles away Team Rocket's trip came to an abrupt, and painful end. Groans of agony and pain shared the air with complaints of their most recent failure, with the majority of the blame focused on one Pokémon in particular.

"This wouldn't have happened if your Tropius had pulled his weight back there!" Jessie accused.

"That's right!" Meowth agreed.

"I know, I know. I just don't know what's gotten into him lately," James replied. The Pokémon in question has his back turned to the rest of the group, seemingly not interested in what was being said, even though it was about him.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Tropius. Why didn't you listen to me back there?" James questioned. The fruit Pokémon simply ignored the question.

"I'm talking to you!" James yelled, growing a bit agitated. Again Tropius ignored him. The constant disrespect Tropius had been showing James over the past number of weeks was starting to get under the blue-haired Rocket's skin.

"Tropius!"

"Just let it go, James. It's obvious your Pokémon isn't going to respond," Jessie said. "Let's just return them to their Poké Balls for now. We have to give our report to the Boss." She then proceeded to return Seviper and Magcargo. Likewise James did the same with Carnivine and Tropius, but soon after being returned Tropius forced his way out of his Poké Ball.

"I didn't tell you to come out!" James yelled. He returned Tropius again, and again the Fruit Pokémon forced his way out.

"Great. Now Tropius doesn't even want to stay in his Poké Ball anymore," Meowth sighed.

"I'm getting real tired of this!" James seethed.

"Just leave him, James! We're already late with our report as it is," Jessie stated. James was fed up with arguing, so he did as she suggested and left Tropius out of his Poké Ball.

"We're not through," James stated.

"Watch our things, Meowth. We won't be too long," Jessie instructed.

"I know the drill already," Meowth griped. As his colleagues left Meowth turned his attention to the rebellious member of their group.

"Man, you've really turned into a handful lately. Just what's gotten into you?" the Scratch Cat Pokémon wondered.

"(… Love.)" Meowth's question was more him thinking out loud than wanting an answer from Tropius, which is why the Scratch Cat Pokémon was so shocked when Tropius actually answered him.

"Wait… love? You don't mean that Meganium, do you?" Meowth questioned.

"(Why not? She and I are a perfect match,)" Tropius stated.

"But it'll never work. She's a twerp Pokémon, and we don't associate with twerp Pokémon," Meowth argued.

"(You're starting to sound like James,)" Tropius spat.

"Because he's right," Meowth countered. "Look, I know you don't want to hear this, but…"

"(Listen, Meowth. I'm not in the mood to argue,)" Tropius interrupted. "(Right now I need a favor.)"

"Um… okay," Meowth replied.

* * *

Later in the day Ash and Nikki came across a Pokémon Center. Even though their Pokémon didn't exert too much energy in the scuffle with Team Rocket earlier the two trainers were looking forward to sleeping that night with a roof over their heads. After checking in with Nurse Joy the trainers headed out behind the Pokémon Center, where a large field greeted them.

"Okay, guys. We 're going to get our room and make a few calls, so you just hang out back here," Ash said to the Pokémon.

"We'll be back to check on you later," Nikki added. A chorus of calls soon followed as the Pokémon left to enjoy themselves. Bordered by the forest they were currently traveling through the field was easily large enough to accommodate all of them. Some of the Pokémon took this opportunity to rest while others played. Sceptile had decided the downtime was the perfect opportunity to speak with Meganium, but as he approached her a voice called out to him.

"Hey, buddy. Come over here." The voice seemed to be coming from the trees.

"(I wonder who that could be.)" As he headed towards the mysterious voice he didn't notice Meganium was watching him.

"(Where's he going?)" she wondered. She decided to follow him just to make sure he wasn't walking into something he couldn't handle. Meanwhile Meowth was beginning to regret granting Tropius's request.

* * *

"_Run that by me again. It almost sounded as if you wanted me to deliver a message to the twerp's Sceptile," Meowth said._

"_(That's exactly what I want you to do,)" Tropius stated._

"_Have you lost your mind?! Why would I deliver a message to one of the twerp's Pokémon?! There's every chance in the world I'll be attacked on sight!" Meowth protested._

"_(Just tell them you're not there to fight,)" Tropius advised._

"_I doubt if that'll matter. When it comes to the twerps it's usually attack first, and if we're still standing attack again," Meowth sighed._

"_(You're just going to have to find some way to get the message to him,)" Tropius stated. The more Meowth listened the less he liked agreeing to Tropius's request. At the same time he could see how desperate Tropius was, and in the end that was enough to get him to continue with the request._

"_Okay… I'll go through with it," Meowth relented._

"_(Thank you,)" Tropius said. "(Now before we continue you have to promise not to tell anyone about this, especially James.)" This was something that Meowth wasn't sure of._

"_You want me to keep this from James?! But…"_

"_(You CAN'T tell him no matter what! If he found out he'd just try to stop me!)" Tropius shouted. "(Under no circumstances can you tell James! Promise me!)" Despite what he felt in his gut Meowth agreed to Tropius's terms._

"_Alright. So, what's the message?"_

* * *

"How in the world did I get roped into this?" he groaned. He could only hope that Sceptile would give him the opportunity to speak before trying to beat him into the ground. Fortunately for him (though in his mind it was more unfortunate) Sceptile made his wait a short one.

"(Hello? Is anyone here?)" the Forest Pokémon called. Meowth froze when Sceptile walked into view.

"_Please don't be hostile, please don't be hostile, please don't be hostile…"_ Unfortunately his prayers weren't answered, for the minute Sceptile spotted him the Grass type went into attack mode, powering up a Leaf Blade.

"(What are you doing here?!)" Sceptile demanded. Meowth quickly threw his hands up in defense.

"Hold on! I'm not here to cause trouble!" he pleaded.

"(As if I'd believe that! You, Jessie and James are all about causing trouble!)" Sceptile argued.

"I promise I'm not here to cause trouble! I even came alone! You have to believe me!" Meowth pleaded. He was sure Sceptile was about to painfully send him on his way, but after a while he dropped his hands and looked at the Forest Pokémon. Surprisingly his stance wasn't as aggressive anymore, and he had since powered down his Leaf Blade.

"(Okay, I'll let you talk, but make it fast,)" Sceptile said. A sigh of relief left Meowth's mouth.

"Okay, here's the deal. I'm here to…"

"(Sceptile? You over there?)" The panic Meowth felt mere moments ago had returned tenfold. He only wanted to speak to Sceptile, so he was not expecting to have to deal with Meganium as well.

"_Now what do I do?"_ he thought. Before he could come up with an answer Meganium appeared.

"(There you are. I was wondering where you…)" She stopped mid-sentence, for her eyes soon fell on Meowth. Just as Sceptile before her she prepared for battle.

"(What's he doing here?!)" she growled.

"Please don't hurt me!" Meowth begged.

"(He claims he's not here to cause trouble,)" Sceptile explained. Meganium then turned her attention to her Grass-type colleague.

"(And you believe him?)" she spat.

"(Not entirely. I'm going to let him tell me why he's here, but I'm not dropping my guard for a second,)" Sceptile replied. "(You hear that, Meowth? If I think you're trying to trick us I'll send you on a blast-off you won't soon forget. Got it?)"

"I got it, I got it!" Meowth hastily replied.

"(Good. Now, what are you doing here?)" Sceptile questioned.

"I've got a message for you from Tropius," he said.

"(From Tropius?)" Meganium asked. Just hearing that name was enough to make Sceptile's blood start boiling.

"(What does he want?)" Sceptile spat.

"He's issuing a challenge to you, Sceptile. He wants to face you in a one-on-one battle. Just the two of you. No trainers," Meowth explained. This intrigued Sceptile. There was nothing more he wanted to do than to soundly defeat Tropius in battle, but something told him there was more to this than what Meowth was telling them.

"(Why does he want to battle me?)" the Forest Pokémon inquired.

"He says whoever wins get her," Meowth replied, pointing at Meganium. Meganium was visibly shocked by what Meowth had to say, but Sceptile wasn't. He already has his suspicions, but now they had been confirmed.

"(So let me get this straight. Tropius wants to battle Sceptile over me?)" Meganium questioned.

"That's right," Meowth confirmed. "You may not have realized this, but Tropius has fallen for you hard. You're the only thing that's been on his mind for a while now and he feels the only way to win you over is to take down Sceptile."

"(Well if you think Sceptile's going to accept his challenge then…)"

"(When and where?)" Sceptile questioned.

"(S-Sceptile!)" This was not the response Meganium was expecting. She fully believed there was no way Sceptile would agree to this, and yet he just proved her wrong.

"There's a clearing near here. He says he'll meet you there," Meowth replied. Sceptile was aware of the clearing Meowth spoke of. Ash and Nikki passed by it on their way to the Pokémon Center.

"(Okay. Tell him I'll be waiting,)" Sceptile stated.

"Alright." As Meowth walked back into the forest Meganium looked at Sceptile, a look of shock on her face.

"(What are you thinking, Sceptile?! Why did you agree to battle him?!" she questioned.

"(To put an end to his obsession of you,)" the Forest Pokémon responded.

"(But how do you know that'll do it? If he's really as obsessed with me as you think a simple battle won't solve anything. If anything I'll need to tell him myself that I'm not interested in him,)" Meganium stated.

"(If it were that simple he wouldn't have demanded a battle,)" Sceptile retorted.

"(But if you lose…)"

"(I won't. I can't afford to,)" Sceptile interrupted. There were still lingering doubts floating around in her mind, but once she looked into Sceptile's eyes and saw the confidence that filled them she began to believe that he would succeed in defeating Tropius.

"(Go. Take care of this,)" she said.

"(I will. I promise I'll defeat him once and for all, and then he'll have no choice but to leave you alone.)" As Sceptile left for the clearing Meganium stood there and watched him leave.

"(Don't make a girl a promise you can't keep,)" she whispered. After waiting a few moments she decided to follow him. If this was a battle over her then the least she could do was witness it with her own eyes.

* * *

"The Boss is really getting fed up with all our recent failures," Jessie sighed. Both she and James were feeling down after Giovanni came down on them for their continuous blunders.

"We need to get back on track or the Boss will have our heads," James said.

"Well the first thing we need to do is get that Tropius of yours under control. His disobedience has been a lingering problem lately," Jessie stated.

"I know. I just don't know what's come over him as of late," James commented. "It's gotten to the point where I don't think he wants to be my Pokémon anymore."

"Whatever the problem is it needs to be taken care of, and soon," Jessie said.

"I know, but what can I…"

"(So he agreed?)"

"Yeah." The two of them paused upon hearing the voices.

"That sounds like Tropius and Meowth," Jessie said.

"What are they talking about?" James wondered.

"Let's hide and listen in," Jessie suggested. The two of them ducked into some nearby bushes and managed to get close enough to the two talking Pokémon to overhear their conversations.

"He's probably there waiting for you right now," Meowth said.

"(Good. Once that Sceptile's been defeated Meganium and I can finally be together,)" Tropius declared.

"I still think you need to take a moment and think about what you're doing," Meowth advised.

"(The time for thinking is over. Now is the time for action,)" Tropius declared. It soon became clear to Meowth that no amount of reasoning would make Tropius change his mind.

"Okay, Tropius. Do what you gotta do," Meowth said.

"(I knew you'd understand,)" Tropius said. He prepared to take off but paused for a moment.

"(Meowth… if this really is the last time we'll see each other… I want to let you know it's been fun traveling with you guys… and that I'll miss you.)" Without waiting for a response the Fruit Pokémon took to the skies, leaving Meowth behind to watch him leave.

"So long, kid. I really hope you get the girl," the Scratch Cat Pokémon said. With a tear in his eye Meowth turned around… and came face-to-face with Jessie and James.

"Gah! How long have you two been there?!" he panicked.

"Long enough to hear what Tropius was planning," Jessie answered. "How could you just let him go like that?"

"I couldn't say no to him. You know how bad he's got it for the twerp's Meganium," Meowth argued. During this time James kept his eyes on the sky in the direction Tropius flew. Then, without warning, he started running in the same direction.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Jessie called.

"I'm going to find Tropius!" James replied.

"Wait! You're not supposed to know!" Meowth stated.

"He won't know I'm there!" James retorted. With those final words James continued on his way.

"This can't end well," Meowth sighed.

* * *

Sceptile had been waiting patiently for Tropius to arrive. He knew the Fruit Pokémon had developed a crush on Meganium, and he was going to put an end to it. As he waited the sudden snapping of a twig behind him caught his attention. Whirling around he saw Meganium approaching.

"(Meganium? What are you doing here?)" he inquired.

"(This entire situation is because of me, right? I might as well be here to see it through,)" she explained.

"Well now. I didn't expect this.)" The two Grass types looked in time to see Tropius land in the clearing.

"(I'm actually glad you're here, Meganium. Now you'll get to witness my victory first-hand,)" Tropius declared. "(Once I'm done defeating that Sceptile the two of us can live out the rest of our lives together.)" Unbeknownst to the Pokémon James had also arrived, though he was electing to remain hidden within the trees. He was there for no other reason than to observe the battle, to see if his Pokémon would fulfill his promise to defeat his rival and win the heart of the one he loved.

"(Do you really think it'll be that simple?)" Sceptile questioned.

"(What do you know?)" Tropius challenged.

"(I know that Meganium isn't some prize that can be won through battling, that no matter who wins our battle it's up to her to decide who she goes with, and if you haven't realized that by now then you've already lost,)" Sceptile explained. As she listened a smile appeared on Meganium's face. The fact that Sceptile came into this looking to defend a friend and not win a prize filled her with great joy and admiration for the Forest Pokémon.

"(The only one who's going to lose anything here is you. I WILL win Meganium here, and we WILL live our lives together, and there's nothing or no one who will stop that!)" Tropius declared. With those words he charged towards Sceptile.

"(He's beyond hope now,)" Sceptile sighed. The only thing he could do now was meet the Fruit Pokémon in battle, and so he too charged towards his opponent.

"(Good luck, Sceptile,)" Meganium said, though only loud enough for her to hear. The two combating Pokémon collided head-on and bounced back to their starting positions.

"(Meganium will be mine!)" Tropius declared as he sent out a Magical Leaf volley at Sceptile.

"(That's not for you to decide!)" Sceptile countered. As the Magical leaf closed in he powered up Leaf Blade, the leaves on his arms glowing green and lengthening. Then, with one powerful slash, he blocked the projectile attack. He then went on the attack, charging towards Tropius with X-Scissor. Before Sceptile could land the hit Tropius took to the skies, safely avoiding Sceptile's attack.

"(Strength determines right and wrong, and once I've defeated you I'll prove that I'm right!)" the Fruit Pokémon challenged.

"(Why won't you realize that strength doesn't determine everything?!)" Sceptile shouted.

"(Strength is everything!)" Tropius argued.

"(No it's not!)" Sceptile retorted.

"(It is, and I'm going to prove it!)" He followed that up with a steep dive towards Sceptile, attempting to damage him using Fly. Sceptile, though, was much too fast and easily dodged the attack. Then, using his superior speed, he reversed direction and charged Tropius, X-Scissor at the ready. The Fruit Pokémon had no time to act before he was struck by the high-power attack. On the sidelines Meganium was inwardly cheering at the sight of Sceptile taking the lead in the battle.

"(You talked about strength being everything, and yet now all the strength you have isn't doing you any good. Tell me, do you still believe in your own words? Do you still believe strength is the answer to everything?)" Sceptile challenged. Tropius shook off the damage from the attack and glared at the Forest Pokémon.

"(I do. I do still believe that… and now you'll see why!)" A sudden surge of strength filled Tropius as he went back on the offensive, sending another Magical leaf volley at Sceptile. The Forest Pokémon once again used Leaf Blade to defend himself, but what he didn't realize was that the Magical Leaf was just a front, a distraction from the real attack. As he prepared to strike back he suddenly found himself being struck by Tropius's wing as he flew by with Fly. As Sceptile tried to recover Tropius flew by and struck him again from behind.

"(Oh no,)" Meganium said. The two straight super-effective attacks did a number on the Forest Pokémon, but Sceptile refused to fall.

"(It'll take more than that… to bring me down,)" Sceptile panted.

"(Trust me, I plan on bringing more!)" Tropius declared. He once again took flight and charged Sceptile. The Forest Pokémon readied X-Scissor once again. Once Tropius was in range he swung, but the Fruit Pokémon twisted his body so the attack missed. He then struck Sceptile with his wing before flying past. Sceptile stumbled forward and tried to regain his balance, but before he could he was struck from behind by Magical Leaf. Sceptile swung around with Leaf Blade only to be met by Tropius diving head-first into him. The hit knocked the breath out of Sceptile, forcing the Forest Pokémon down to one knee.

"(Just give up! You can't match my strength!)" Tropius gloated. At one point Sceptile did consider forfeiting, but then he looked in Meganium's direction. The look of concern on her face gave him a surge of strength. He forced himself back to his feet and glared at Tropius.

"(Not… on your life!)" he refused. "(There's… no way… I'll let you… take her away from me!)" Meganium's eyes went wide when she heard that. She thought he didn't want her to be taken away from the group, but Sceptile didn't want her to be taken away from him. That got Meganium thinking… could Sceptile see her as more than just a close friend?

"(Suit yourself. One way or another I'm defeating you here and now!)" Tropius charged Sceptile, looking to deliver the final blow. As he got closer Sceptile readied a counter-attack. As Tropius dove in for his attack Sceptile ducked underneath him and struck him with an X-Scissor. Tropius cringed from the attack, but due to Sceptile's weakened state the attack didn't have much force behind it. Because of that Tropius was able to go straight into a counter-attack. He spun his body and struck Sceptile with his wing, sending the Forest pokémon airborne.

"(Time to end this!)" he declared. With a flap of his wings he gained altitude until he was hovering over Sceptile. He then dove down, planting his feet in Sceptile's chest and driving him to the ground. The resulting impact kicked up a thick dirt cloud.

"(Sceptile!)" Meganium cried. Panic gripped her as she worried about Sceptile's well-being. As time passed the dirt cloud dissipated, revealing a triumphant Tropius standing over a defeated Sceptile.

"(No…)" she said.

"(As I said, I'm defeating you here and now,)" Tropius repeated. Sceptile glared at him, but his glare soon turned to a disappointed gaze as he looked towards Meganium.

"(I'm… s-sorry,)" he said. Meganium felt bad for Sceptile. She knew he poured his all into the battle and hated seeing him come up short.

"(Just to show I'm a good sport I'll give you two time to say goodbye,)" Tropius announced. He walked away from Sceptile, allowing Meganium to approach.

"(Are you alright?)" Meganium asked as Sceptile forced himself up.

"(No, not really,)" the Forest Pokémon admitted. "(I'm sorry… I lost.)"

"(Don't be. You gave it your all and showed me how much you really care,)" Meganium said.

"(But now you… you have to go with him,)" Sceptile sighed.

"(Don't worry. I'll take care of him,)" Meganium stated. The Forest Pokémon watched as Meganium started walking towards Tropius.

"(What are you going to do?)" he wondered.

"(What I need to,)" Meganium answered. Sceptile didn't know what she was going to do but he trusted she would do the right thing. As she approached Tropius the Fruit Pokémon beamed with pride.

"(All done with your goodbyes?)" he inquired.

"(Not yet. I've got one goodbye I still need to say,)" Meganium replied.

"(So then, why are you over here?)" Tropius wondered.

"(Because the goodbye I have to say… is to you,)" Meganium admitted.

"(To me? What do you mean?)" Tropius questioned, clearly confused.

"(Tropius… I'm not coming with you,)" Meganium stated.

"(What?! But… I won the battle! You have to come with me! That was the agreement!)" the Fruit Pokémon argued.

"(I know, but it's like Sceptile said… it doesn't matter who won the battle because only I can decide who to be with,)" Meganium explained.

"(But I thought that, if I won you'd see how strong I was and you'd want to be with me,)" Tropius said.

"(I know you're strong, but what matters to me is the strength of a Pokémon's heart, not his body,)" Meganium replied.

"(His… heart?)" Tropius questioned.

"(That's right, and today… I found out who won in that regard,)" Meganium said. She glanced back at Sceptile and smiled. Upon seeing that Tropius now had to face the cold, hard truth…

Meganium… would never be his.

"(So… that's it then,)" he sighed.

"(I'm afraid so,)" Meganium agreed. "(You're a sweet Pokémon and I'm confident there's a female out there for you. It's just… not me.)" Tropius remained silent, the harsh truth still sinking in. Seeing this Meganium walked away from him and returned to Sceptile's side.

"(I heard what you said. You think he'll be alright?)" the Forest Pokémon wondered.

"(He should be in time,)" Meganium assumed. "(Right now I'm more concerned about you.)"

"(He did a number on me, but I'll recover,)" Sceptile said. He tried to stand up only to fall when his legs buckled.

"(I think I may need some help getting up,)" he sheepishly admitted. Meganium had to stifle a laugh as she stood next to Sceptile.

"(Come on. You can lean on me,)" she offered. He accepted her offer and used her to stand up.

"(You want me to carry you back to the Pokémon Center?)" Meganium teased.

"(Oh no. I need to salvage some dignity here,)" Sceptile stated. The two Pokémon shared a laugh as they headed back towards the Pokémon Center. During this Tropius watched them, Meganium's words still fresh in his ears…

"_(…the goodbye I have to say… is to you…)"_

"_(…I'm not coming with you…)"_

"_(…only I can decide who to be with…)"_

"_(…what matters to me is the strength of a Pokémon's heart…)"_

"_(…I found out who won in that regard…)"_

The more he replayed her words in his head the clearer the truth became. James… Meowth… they were right. He never had a chance with her. His heart heavy with rejection he spread his wings and prepared to take flight. Before doing so, however, he took one last glance at the retreating forms of Meganium and Sceptile.

"(Farewell, my love. May he make you as happy as I wanted to.)" A single tear fell from his eye as he flapped his wings and left. As soon as Tropius was gone James came out of hiding. Looking off in the direction his Pokémon flew he couldn't help but feel sorry for the Fruit Pokémon.

"Oh, Tropius." After waiting a bit longer James left as well. He knew Tropius would need comforting, and as his trainer he knew he'd be the one to give it.

* * *

Sceptile and Meganium's progress had been slow at best. Due to the fatigue from the battle their pace had to be slow to allow Sceptile to walk under his own power. However, Meganium could tell this was difficult for him.

"(How are you holding up?)" she inquired.

"(I think… I think I can make it,)" Sceptile panted. Shortly after saying that, though, he stumbled and almost fell to the ground. If Meganium hadn't been there he surely would have fallen.

"(I don't think you have enough strength to make it back,)" Meganium observed. "(Let's stop for a bit before you collapse.)" Sceptile didn't argue as he and Meganium stopped beneath a tree to rest.

"_(He needs something to boost his energy,)"_ she thought. She began looking around, hoping to find a berry tree that would do the trick. Luck was apparently on her side, for she quickly found a Sitrus Berry tree.

"_(Jackpot!)"_ She extended a vine and plucked one of the berries off the tree. She then handed it to Sceptile.

"(Eat this. It'll restore your strength,)" she said. He thanked her and took a bite out of the Sitrus Berry. Almost instantly he felt his strength returning. He quickly ate the rest of the berry, letting out a content sigh as its healing properties took effect.

"(Ah… much better,)" he commented as he stretched. "(I think I can make it the rest of the way under my own power now.)" He was ready to resume their trek back to the Pokémon Center when…

"(Hey, Sceptile? Can we talk?)" Meganium called.

"(Sure. What's on your mind?)" Sceptile inquired.

"(When you were battling Tropius earlier… you said you wouldn't let him take me away from you,)" Meganium said.

"(I… said that?)" Sceptile asked.

"(You did,)" Meganium confirmed. "(Did you… really mean to say that?)" Sceptile was trapped. He knew what Meganium said was true, that he said he wouldn't let Tropius take her from him. What he didn't expect was for Meganium to have heard him.

"(Did you?)" Meganium repeated. Sceptile didn't know what to do. Should he tell her the truth and prepare for what was to come, or should he lie and not risk ruining what they already had? Despite his options he already knew what he would tell her.

"(… Yes. I meant it,)" he admitted.

"(Sceptile…)" Meganium said.

"(I already let once chance slip away. I had no intention of letting history repeat itself,)" the Forest Pokémon declared.

"(What do you mean?)" Meganium asked. Right then Sceptile realized that Meganium had no knowledge of the previous incident. As painful as it was to recount the events he knew she would need to know to understand.

"(You remember when Ash was traveling through Kanto to compete in the Battle Frontier?)" Sceptile inquired.

"(Yeah, but why bring that up?)" Meganium wondered.

"(It involves an incident that happened while we were on our way to the Battle Palace,)" Sceptile answered. "(We happened upon a Pokémon Center. At that Center… was the most beautiful Meganium I had ever seen. Unfortunately there was a Tropius there as well, and he also had his eyes on that Meganium.)" The more Meganium listened the more she realized that the scenario they just went through was extremely familiar to Sceptile.

"(So, what happened?)" Meganium asked.

"(In order to prove that I was a better Pokémon than that Tropius I figured I had to be stronger than him,)" Sceptile explained. "(Unfortunately I was still just a Grovyle, so there was no way I was going to be stronger than him, at least not as I was.)"

"(And that's when you decided to evolve?)" Meganium questioned.

"(Not right at that moment. It happened during a Team Rocket attack. Tropius got roughed-up real bad and I saw that as my opportunity to prove my strength. That's when I decided to evolve, but in my haste I somehow lost the ability to attack,)" Sceptile explained.

"(Lost the ability to attack? I didn't think something like that was possible,)" Meganium gasped.

"(Before then I didn't either, but that's what happened to me,)" Sceptile said.

"(What happened to Team Rocket?)" Meganium inquired.

"(They were driven off and everyone was safe,)" Sceptile replied. "(Afterwards I thought that Meganium would have seen that Tropius wasn't strong enough to protect her, but when it was all said and done she still ran to him and not me.)" Meganium felt pity for him. She couldn't begin to imagine how he must have felt back then.

"(It was shortly after that I realized something,)" he admitted. "(I realized that… no matter how strong I was, even if I was stronger than that Tropius, it didn't matter in the end. She had already made her choice… even before the battle got underway. I had lost before I even knew it.)"

"(I had no idea,)" Meganium commented. "(So then… that's why you agreed to battle Tropius earlier. You didn't want a repeat of that incident.)"

"(I already lost one chance at happiness. I don't know what I would have done had I lost another,)" Sceptile said. "(Just the thought of it… it's enough to send a shiver down my spine.)" The next thing he knew he felt something press against his back. Shortly after that he felt breath against his neck.

"(You'll never lose me,)" Meganium whispered in his ear. "(I'll stay by your side… for as long as I live.)" As Sceptile listened to her a smile crept onto his face.

"(And I promise to never leave your side… my love,)" he reciprocated. No more words were said between the two, for no more needed to be said. In that moment their hearts were joined as one, and as far as they were concerned no one or nothing would ever tear them apart.

* * *

"How much longer do you think he's going to be like that?" Meowth wondered. It had been half an hour since Tropius had returned to their camp, and for the entire time he had been off by himself moping. No one needed to ask how things went. The fact that he came back alone told them everything they needed to know.

"I kinda feel sorry for the guy," Meowth admitted. "I know what it's like to have a female reject your feelings. Trust me, it's not pleasant."

"I'll take your word for it," Jessie said as they continued to stare at the depressed Tropius. The Fruit Pokémon let out a long depressing sigh as he continued to mope.

"Maybe someone should go out there and try talking with him," Meowth suggested.

"He's James's Pokémon. He should be the one to do that," Jessie stated.

"Too bad we don't know where he is," Meowth groaned. Then, as if on cue, they spotted the third member of their team approaching Tropius.

"Well. Ask and you shall receive, huh," Meowth commented.

"Seems that way. Now let's hope he can finally talk some sense into his Pokémon," Jessie said. They continued to watch as James stopped right next to Tropius. The Fruit Pokémon didn't even look his way, but he knew James was there.

"(You were right. I never had a chance with her,)" Tropius admitted. "(I should have known that from the beginning, though. After all, we are from different sides. It would have never worked out.)"

"To be honest, Tropius… I'm actually glad you went through with it," James said.

"(Huh? What do you mean? You were completely against it from the start,)" Tropius stated.

"I know, but you showed me that, no matter what was put in front of you, you had the conviction to stay true to the path you chose, and I respect that," James explained. "Even if it didn't work out how you wanted it to you saw it through to the end."

"(A lot of good it did me. Meganium… she had already chosen that Sceptile… even before I decided to challenge him… I had lost before I knew it…)" James could tell Tropius was still greatly depressed about what happened. He reached out and pet the Fruit Pokémon on top of his head.

"I know it hurts now, and I can't say how much longer it will hurt, but I know that over time the pain will go away. You just have to… try and move on," James explained.

"(Okay… I'll try,)" Tropius agreed.

"Maybe this will help." A familiar scent filled Tropius's nose. He turned to James and saw a smile on his face and a rice ball in his hand.

"I bet you're hungry," he assumed. With a smile on his face Tropius began eating the rice ball, much slower than he usually did. After a short while the rice ball was gone.

"There. Feel better?" James asked.

"(A bit. Thank you,)" Tropius replied. Satisfied that Tropius was going to be okay James turned to leave.

"(James?)" Tropius called. The blue haired trainer turned to his Pokémon.

"(I'm a little worn out from everything that's happened. I could use a rest inside my Poké Ball,)" the Fruit Pokémon requested. James smiled as he took out Tropius's Poké Ball.

"Alright. I'll call you when I need you," he said.

"(I'll be ready,)" Tropius replied. With a nod James returned Tropius to his Poké Ball, signaling the end of the problems the two of them had been having.

"Thank goodness that's over. I don't know how much longer I could have put up with that," Meowth commented.

"Me neither, but now it's time to get back to what we do best… pursuing the twerp's Pikachu," Jessie declared. Meowth agreed as the two of them headed back to formulate their next scheme. James remained behind, still unaware that his comrades had been watching the entire time. He had no idea where things would go in the future, but for the moment he was glad Tropius was back and once again willing to obey him.

* * *

Though Tropius won the battle, in the end he lost the war. With Meganium choosing Sceptile over him how will this affect him going forward? And what will bloom from the budding romance between Ash's two Grass types? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	36. Old is New Again

**Chapter 36: Old is New Again**

"Use Flamethrower!"

"Counter with Sandstorm!" In order to prepare for their upcoming challenges Ash and Nikki decided to have some practice battles. In the final pairing Larvitar and Vulpix were once again proving they were evenly matched as Vulpix's Flamethrower and Larvitar's Sandstorm canceled each other out.

"Use Iron Tail!" Nikki called. Vulpix charged forward, her six tails taking on Steel-like properties.

"Stop her with Screech!" Ash instructed. An ear-piercing Screech from Larvitar stopped Vulpix in her tracks, effectively ending her attack.

"Now use Stone Edge!" Ash shouted. Razor-sharp stones materialized around Larvitar, and with one wave of her hand she sent them hurtling towards the six-tailed fox.

"No you don't! Counter with Energy Ball!" Nikki said. As quickly as she could Vulpix formed a ball of Grass-type energy in her mouth and fired it towards the incoming Stone Edge. The two attacks created an explosion on impact, destroying the first few stones in Larvitar's attack and forcing the remaining ones to careen off-course.

"Okay, I think that's enough for now," Ash announced. With the practice battle over both Larvitar and Vulpix were allowed to relax.

"That was a good training session. I can't believe how much stronger everyone is getting," Nikki commented.

"They've been working hard, so it's only natural that they get stronger," Ash explained. "I'm really impressed with Vulpix and Larvitar. They're really putting their all into getting stronger, and it shows."

"(We just… want to do… our part,)" Larvitar said.

"(Yeah… and to do that… we need to get… stronger,)" Vulpix added.

"Well at this rate you two will grow to be incredibly strong," Nikki commented.

"I'll say," Ash agreed. With the training session over the trainers and Pokémon got to work cleaning up their temporary campsite. Unknown to them, however they were being watched from the shadows.

"Okay, looks like they're done with their training, and with their Pokémon worn out now is the perfect time to strike," Meowth commented. "Okay, let's go." He got up and prepared to confront Ash and Nikki, but something didn't feel right to him. Turning around he noticed neither Jessie nor James had made a move.

"What are you two waiting on?! Let's get moving!" he demanded.

"What's the point?" James sighed. "We'll just get beaten again, and then it'll be time for another blast-off." Meowth gasped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You can't be serious?!" he said. The Scratch Cat Pokémon turned to Jessie, hoping to get some backup from her.

"Help me out here, Jess," he requested.

"Sorry, but James is right. No matter what we do the twerps always defeat us," she sighed.

"Not you too?!" Meowth whined. By now Ash and Nikki had finished packing up and were getting ready to head out.

"Well if you won't help me then I guess I'll have to go it alone!" Filled with confidence he charged out to confront Ash and Nikki… only to be quickly defeated and sent crashing at the feet of Jessie and James.

"That… didn't feel good," he groaned.

"See what we mean? The twerps just beat back any attack we launch at them," James commented. Meowth, however, would not be deterred.

"One defeat won't be enough to make me give up!" With his confidence still on a high he charged back out… only to be met with the same result as before.

"How about two defeats?" Jessie questioned. Again Meowth sprang to his feet.

"Third time's the charm!" he shouted. He charged out for a third time, and for a third time he was soundly defeated. By now his confidence was starting to waver.

"Okay, I need a new plan of attack," he groaned.

"Now do you agree with us? The twerps seemingly have an answer for everything we throw at them," James said.

"Then we're just going to have to come up with something they don't have an answer for," Meowth declared.

"Easier said than done. With the number of Pokémon the twerps have at their disposal they have an answer for just about anything," Jessie stated.

"Then we'll just have to match their numbers," Meowth suggested.

"That won't be easy. Combined the twerps have ten Pokémon between them, and with the main twerp constantly rotating his team around they have more options than you can shake a stick at," Jessie explained. "Including you we only have eight."

"And even if we could match their numbers our Pokémon won't be able to match their strength," James added. "Let's face it. In numbers and strength the twerps have us trumped."

"But there's got to be something we can do to try and even up the sides," Meowth said.

"Well if you have a suggestion I'd love to hear it," James said.

"(We may have one for you.)" The three of them turned towards the sound of the new voice. What they saw left them speechless.

"I-Is that…"

* * *

Ash and Nikki had put quite a bit of distance between themselves and their temporary campsite. The training battles they waged left their Pokémon a bit exhausted, and though their subsequent encounters with Meowth were handled with minimal effort both trainers felt the need to locate the nearest Pokémon Center.

"According to my Pokécomm the closest Pokémon Center shouldn't be that far away," Nikki reported. "If we keep heading in this direction we'll be there in no time."

"That's good. I want us to get our Pokémon checked out by Nurse Joy as soon as possible," Ash said. "Don't want to get caught off guard by Team Rocket."

"Speaking of them did you find it weird at all that Meowth challenged us like that without Jessie or James backing him up?" Nikki asked.

"That was a bit strange. Usually the three of them attack together," Ash commented. "I wonder what made Meowth go it alone?"

"(Who knows. Those three are always doing something strange,)" Pikachu said.

"That they are," Ash agreed. "I just hope we can go the rest of the day without running into them again."

"No such luck, twerp!" Ash and Nikki stopped in their tracks, for blocking their path were the three individuals they were trying to avoid.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put twerps in their place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"And here we were trying to avoid you three," Nikki groaned. "Can't you go bother someone else?!"

"Not as long as you have what we want," Jessie declared.

"We've said it before and we'll say it again! You're not getting our Pokémon!" Ash declared.

"You say that now, but wait until we show you what we have in store for you this time," James said.

"You've been throwing blasts from the past at us, but now it's time for us to throw a blast from the past at you!" Jessie shouted. She and James each grabbed a Poké Ball and threw them. Moments later they opened, revealing two Pokémon Ash and Pikachu were not expecting.

"N-No way!" Ash stuttered.

"(That can't be!)" Pikachu squeaked. From Jessie's Poké Ball emerged a large cobra-like snake Pokémon, and from James's emerged Pokémon that looked like two floating balls of gas.

"(It's-s been a while, has-sn't it?)"

"Arbok and Weezing!" Ash gasped.

"I'm not familiar with those two," Nikki commented as she scanned them with her Pokécomm.

**Name: Arbok**

**Species: The Cobra Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: The pattern on its belly is for intimidation. It constricts foes while they are frozen in fear.**

**Name: Weezing**

**Species: The Poison Gas Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: Inhaling toxic fumes from trash and mixing them inside its body lets it spread an even fouler stench.**

"Surprised?" James asked, seeing the shocked looks on Ash and Pikachu's faces.

"When did those two come back?" Ash wondered.

"Just recently, and I must say it's good to have them back," Jessie answered.

"(How did they even get here? Last time we saw them they were in Hoenn,)" Pikachu commented.

"(Our groups-s were brought here to help add divers-sity to the Legenda region. Onc-ce we arrived we all went out s-separate ways-s,)" Arbok explained.

"(Over time we heard that Team Rocket was operating here. We started looking for them, hoping it was Jessie and James,)" Weezing added. "(And the rest, as they say, is history.)"

"So it was by chance that you found each other again," Nikki assumed.

"We like to think it was Fate righting a wrong," Jessie corrected.

"Yes. After tearing us apart in Hoenn it seems that we were destined to be reunited at this very moment, for Fate has delivered them back to us," James declared.

"And they're going to help us deliver your Pokémon to the Boss," Meowth said. Arbok and Weezing looked at Ash and Nikki with wicked smiles.

"I don't think so! We've beaten them in the past and we'll beat them now!" Ash declared. Pikachu let a few sparks shoot from his cheeks in support of Ash.

"Well then, I think it's time to re-familiarize you with some old tactics," Jessie stated. "Poison Sting!" With a loud hiss Arbok opened his mouth and let loose with a barrage of poisonous needles.

"Counter with Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. Ash's Electric type unleashed a Thunderbolt that easily tore through Arbok's Poison Sting and continue on course to strike the Cobra Pokémon.

"Smokescreen!" James called. Weezing quickly moved to the front and spewed a thick cloud of smoke, obscuring everyone's vision. Pikachu's Thunderbolt entered the cloud, but no one could see if it made contact or not.

"Did you get them?" Nikki wondered.

"I don't know. I can't see anything through that Smokescreen," Ash replied.

"Then allow us to remove any doubt. Tackle!" James commanded. Weezing suddenly burst forth from the Smokescreen, slamming into Pikachu with a devastating Tackle.

"No, Pikachu!" Ash called. Seeing Pikachu in an unfair 2-on-1 situation Nikki sprang into action.

"Let's back them up, Buneary! Use Bounce!" Nikki instructed. Buneary hopped onto the battlefield and prepared to go on the offensive, but Jessie was first to make a move.

"Use Glare, Arbok!" she ordered. As Buneary made her move Arbok slithered in front of her and gave her a paralyzing glare, freezing Buneary in her tracks.

"(Now you're mine,)" Arbok hissed.

"Get out of there, Buneary!" Nikki shouted. Try as she did Buneary was completely paralyzed thanks to Arbok's Glare and unable to move.

"Protect Buneary, Pikachu!" Ash called. In the blink of an eye Pikachu positioned himself between Buneary and Arbok.

"(I won't let you hurt her!)" he declared.

"How noble. Use Wrap!" Jessie commanded. Before anyone could react Arbok had Pikachu and Buneary bound in his coils. The two smaller Pokémon struggled and squirmed, but nothing they did could loosen Arbok's hold on them.

"Break free with Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. Just as he was charging up his attack Nikki called for him to stop.

"Don't do it, Pikachu! You'll catch Buneary in the attack too!" she warned. Pikachu realized Nikki was right and immediately powered down his attack.

"Ha! We've got you now, twerps! There's nothing you can do to save your precious Pokémon now!" Jessie gloated. Nikki, however, did share Jessie's opinion as she grabbed one of her Poké Balls.

"Just because Pikachu and Buneary can't attack doesn't mean our other Pokémon can't!" she stated. "Shinx, use Flash!" She tossed out Shinx's Poké Ball, the Flash Pokémon appearing shortly after.

"(Time to brighten things up!)" she barked before giving off a blinding light.

"Ah! My eyes!" Meowth screeched.

"I can't see!" Jessie wailed.

"Neither can I!" James added. Arbok and Weezing were blinded as well. During the confusion Arbok loosened his hold on Pikachu and Buneary, giving the two of them the opportunity to escape. When the villains were finally able to see they didn't like the sight that greeted them.

"This won't be good," Meowth groaned.

"Okay, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash called. Pikachu's cheeks sparked as he unleashed his trademark attack. Cries of pain filled the air as Team Rocket was subjected to the powerful Electric attack. Predictably the Thunderbolt managed to ignite the poison gas Weezing was spewing, resulting in an all-too familiar explosion which sent them flying through the air.

"Not even Arbok and Weezing was enough to give us the edge!" Jessie wailed.

"At least we got them back!" James said.

"Yeah! Welcome back!" Meowth said.

"(Jus-st like old times-s, huh!)" Arbok hissed.

"(Unfortunately!)" Weezing said.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried.

"Whew… that takes care of them," Ash sighed. "I never would have expected them to get Arbok and Weezing back."

"(They seem to have gotten a bit stronger over the years,)" Pikachu commented. "(Unfortunately for them so did we.)"

"And we'll keep getting stronger too," Ash declared.

"We all will," Nikki agreed. "Right, Buneary?"

"(You bet!)" the Rabbit Pokémon enthusiastically replied.

"But first a quick stop at a Pokémon Center is in order," Nikki advised.

"Well since you already found one close by lead the way," Ash suggested. With Nikki in the lead the group departed for the Pokémon Center, eager for a bit of rest before continuing on towards Red Sands Desert.

* * *

Even with the surprising return of Arbok and Weezing Jessie and James still couldn't defeat Ash and Nikki. With the good guys still on a hot streak how will things play out from now on? Can their good run continue? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	37. How the Other Side Lives

**Chapter 37: How the Other Side Lives**

An open field atop a hill overlooking a small village would normally be a very peaceful setting. However, the peace was soon interrupted by the arrival of Team Rocket. After another failure to steal Ash and Nikki's Pokémon they were sent off on one of their painful blast offs which ended in a crash landing in the field.

"Ow… those get more painful each time," Meowth groaned. Once the initial pain subsided the three of them got to their feet and dusted themselves off.

"So what went wrong this time?" Jessie wondered.

"You got me. I was sure this plan was foolproof," Meowth stated.

"There's no such thing as a foolproof plan when it comes to the twerps," James groaned.

"James has a point," Meowth sighed.

"Well I refuse to believe that! There's no way I'll admit defeat when it comes to those twerps!" Jessie declared.

"Oh my… is everyone okay?" Looking up the trio saw a young auburn-haired girl approaching them, her green eyes filled with concern. In her arms was a basket filled with berries.

"And just who are you?" Jessie inquired.

"Oh, forgive me. My name is Meredith. I live in a small village not far from here. I was out gathering berries when I saw you fall from the sky," the girl explained.

"Well that explains how she knew we were out here," Meowth commented. At that moment Meredith gasped and brought her hands to her mouth.

"Your Meowth… he speaks human language! How is that possible?!" she questioned.

"What can I say? I'm one of a kind," Meowth replied.

"Y-Yes… yes, you are," she agreed. At that moment Team Rocket's stomachs simultaneously growled.

"Oh boy, that last one really took it out of us," James groaned.

"Yeah. I'm so hungry I could out eat a Snorlax," Jessie added.

"There's plenty of food back at my village. I could prepare a meal for you if you'd like," Meredith offered. The promise of food was enough to convince the trio to follow the girl back to her village. As they walked Meredith tried to learn more about them.

"Where are you from?" she inquired.

"Kanto," James answered.

"Kanto? That's quite a ways from here. What brings you out to Legenda?" she wondered.

"We're here on business," Jessie said.

"I see. I hope your ordeal earlier didn't have a negative impact," Meredith said.

"That happens to us all the time. It comes with the job," James explained.

"You must have a very dangerous line of work with hazards like that," Meredith commented.

"You don't know the half of it," Meowth said under his breath.

"Oh! We've arrived," Meredith announced. Looking ahead of them they saw the village Meredith was talking about. It wasn't that large, only consisting of a small number of houses situated along a dirt path. Both people and Pokémon were busily going about their daily business. Each house had a small garden with a variety of crops growing, each one being tended to by a Pokémon. Nearby a stream flowed by, providing the village with their water.

"It's not much, but it's home," Meredith said.

"It certainly has a homely feel to it," Jessie commented. As they continued to approach the village Jessie, James and Meowth took notice of something.

"There wouldn't happen to be anywhere we can get our Pokémon healed around here, would there?" James inquired.

"Well, we don't have a Pokémon Center like some of the big towns and cities do, but we do have people and Pokémon that specialize in healing," Meredith explained. "If your Pokémon need healing I can take you…" Before she could finish her sentence the sound of engines filled the air. Immediately the people and Pokémon fled into any nearby house they could find.

"What's that?" Meowth wondered.

"Oh no! They're early this time!" Meredith panicked.

"Who's early?" James asked. Rather than answer Meredith headed for the closest house, motioning for Team Rocket to follow her. As confused as they were all three decided to do as she asked and followed her inside. Once they were inside she closed the door, locking it behind them.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"Every so often a gang comes here and demands that we give them an offering of food or else they'll destroy our village," Meredith explained. As soon as she was finished with her explanation a group of six motorcycles rode in on the dirt path, kicking up a thick dust cloud. The bikes came to a stop in the center of the village.

"Hey! Where's our offering?!" one of them yelled. Team Rocket presumed he was the leader of the gang. Shortly after his outburst an elderly man approached him. Immediately Meredith tensed up.

"Father, no!" she gasped.

"Who's that?" Meowth asked.

"His name is Duncan," Meredith answered. "He's our village elder… and my father."

"The elder, huh. Then why is he cowering in front of that biker thug?" Meowth questioned. The biker in question was a large muscular one with green mohawk haircut.

"Because that's the leader of their gang, Slater. He's about as mean as you can get," Meredith replied. The four of them kept watching as Slater got off his bike and stood in front of Duncan.

"You were supposed to have our offering ready for us by now. Where is it?!" the biker demanded.

"F-Forgive us, Slater, but we were not expecting you to arrive this soon," Duncan apologized. "If you'll give us more time we can…"

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses!" Slater roared, interrupting Duncan. "You're one job is to make sure to have our offering from this village, and you can't even do that!" The village elder covered up, hoping it would somehow protect him from the biker's verbal onslaught.

"You have 24 hours to have our offering ready for us," Slater announced. Duncan immediately looked up.

"T-There's no way we can prepare a suitable offering on such short notice," he protested.

"Well you had better find a way… or else." After handing out his warning Slater got back on his bike and led the gang out of the village. Once the bikers were gone the tension went away, only to be replaced by fear.

"How are we going to prepare their offering in 24 hours?" Duncan worried.

"Father!" Duncan looked up and saw his daughter approaching him, followed closely by Jessie, James and Meowth.

"Are you alright?" Meredith asked.

"I'm fine, my child. Just a little shaken up," he answered. Right then he noticed Team Rocket standing behind Meredith.

"I see you brought company with you," Duncan observed.

"Yes, Father. This is Jessie, James and Meowth. I found them on the hill near the village," she explained. With three visitors standing before him Duncan composed himself and welcomed them to the village.

"I apologize for the earlier incident, but you are more than welcome in our village," he said. "Come, Meredith. We must prepare a meal for our guests."

"Yes, and I shall have someone heal your Pokémon," Meredith added.

"Hold on. Are you sure you have time for that? That Slater guy did give you a 24 hour deadline," Jessie questioned.

"It will be impossible to prepare their offering in such a short time. No, I feel this time is better spent making your stay here as pleasant as we can," Duncan responded. As the father and daughter left Team Rocket looked at each other. Normally they wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a situation like this, but for some reason they couldn't bring themselves to feel good about this.

* * *

That evening Duncan and Meredith offered to let Team Rocket spend the night. Though the trio tried to refuse their offer Duncan and Meredith persisted. Eventually they agreed to spend the night in the village. On her father's request Meredith led them to a small house near where she and her father stayed.

"Call if you need anything," Meredith said. She was just about to leave when James called out to her.

"What are you going to do about Slater and his gang?" he asked. Meredith hung her head.

"I… I don't know yet. The village is meeting to discuss that soon. Hopefully we'll have a solution," she explained.

"Why don't you use your Pokémon to drive them off?" Jessie wondered.

"That's not possible. Our Pokémon aren't trained for battle. If we try to use them to battle Slater's gang they'll get hurt for sure," Meredith replied.

"What about hiring someone to deal with the problem," Meowth suggested.

"We wouldn't have much to offer," Meredith replied. "Unless… I know it's wrong of me to ask this now, but would you be willing to help us?" The trio was torn. They wanted to assist the villagers, but at the same time they had their orders from Giovanni.

"We'd love to help, but…"

"We're currently in the middle of an important mission," Jessie said, finishing James's statement. "In fact we'll need to be gone early in the morning so we don't lose too much time." Meredith hung her head upon hearing that.

"Oh… I see…" They could tell Meredith was depressed when she heard the news, but they had no idea she would take it as hard as she did.

"I… I hope there aren't any hard feelings," James said.

"Oh, of course not. I understand. You have your mission to focus on," she replied. "At the very least you can rest here for your departure in the morning." She bid them good evening and left to attend the village meeting. Once they were alone the trio looked to each other.

"She seemed pretty depressed," Meowth commented.

"Would you if you knew your home was more than likely going to be wrecked by a gang of biker thugs?" James questioned.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Meowth agreed. "Too bad we can't do anything to help them."

"We need to stay focused on our current task," Jessie said. "Obtaining the twerps' Pokémon is our top priority." James and Meowth reluctantly agreed with her, but that didn't shake the bad feeling the trio had. They felt they had to do something for Meredith and the villagers for the hospitality they were shown. Only thing is… they didn't know what.

* * *

Meredith arrived at the location of the meeting just as it was starting. The meeting was to be held at her and her father's home. The entire village, which admittedly wasn't that many people, was present to discuss what they should do about Slater and his gang.

"There's no way we can gather enough food to satisfy them this time," one of the villagers said.

"Well we have to do something. They'll be here tomorrow," another voiced.

"But what? We can't take them on ourselves. Our Pokémon aren't trained for battle," a third stated.

"What about hiring someone to do that for us?" the first suggested.

"Like who?" the third questioned.

"How about those two with the Meowth," the second one said, referring to Team Rocket. "They seem like the kind who can drive off Slater and his gang."

"I already asked them, but they're already on an important mission," Meredith reported.

"Then all is lost," the first villager groaned. His feelings of hopelessness and despair soon spread to the rest of the villagers.

"Do not give up hope. Something will happen, I am sure of it," Meredith stated.

"All we can see happening is the destruction of our village," a villager said. As much as Meredith tried to keep the hopes of everyone up she had to admit he was right. At the current moment there wasn't much they could do but wait for the deadline to arrive… and prepare for what was to come.

* * *

Morning came fast, much too fast in the villagers' opinions. With the deadline fast approaching Meredith went to check on Team Rocket. As she approached the house she noticed it seemed rather quiet. She found out why once she opened the door, for it revealed an empty building.

"They must have left already," she assumed. "It's just as well. There was no need for them to be involved in our disputes." She closed the door and prepared to head back home when the sound of motorcycle engines filled the air.

"Already?! But the deadline hasn't arrived yet!" Meredith gasped. She ran to the village center where the rest of the villagers were gathered, looking on in fear as Slater and his gang rode in.

"What is the meaning of this, Slater?! The deadline is yet to pass!" Duncan demanded.

"Eh, we figured you wouldn't be able to get an offering prepared in time so there was no need to wait," Slater explained. "Looks like we were right."

"And how would you know we wouldn't have an offering in time?!" Duncan challenged. Rather than answer him Slater smirked. Right then it became clear why.

"You never intended to let our village be, did you," Meredith questioned.

"Bingo! Give the lady a prize!" Slater mocked.

"But why?! Why torment us so?! We never did anything to you!" Meredith protested.

"Why? Because we can!" Slater replied. He then grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it, calling on his Breloom.

"What are you doing with that Pokémon?!" Duncan asked.

"I'm through talking! Breloom! Use Focus Punch on that house!" Slater ordered, pointing towards a house on his left. The Mushroom Pokémon drew a fist back and charged towards the house. As he approached his fist took on a whitish glow.

"No! Don't!" Meredith protested.

"Like I'm going to call him back just because you said so!" Slater scoffed. "Just face it! There isn't anyone among you strong enough to stop us!"

"That's where you're wrong! Smokescreen!" From out of nowhere a Weezing descended in front of the Breloom and spew a Smokescreen cloud, blanketing the area around the Mushroom Pokémon.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Slater yelled.

"Poison Tail!" While his Breloom was trying to find his bearings a bladed tail shot out of the smoke cloud, striking the Breloom and sending him crashing to the ground next to Slater's bike. One look at the downed Mushroom Pokémon revealed he was knocked out.

"Who did that?!" Slater demanded.

"I'm glad you asked." Moments later a Tropius and Yanmega descended and blew away the Smokescreen, revealing the identities of the attackers.

"Out of the sky, falling with grace.

A spark in the eye, arriving with haste.

Ready and willing to put you creeps in your place.

Jessie!

James!

Meowth's the name!

Team Rocket, burning a trail!

Blazing a path!

Kickin' some tail!

Wobbu Wobbuffet!

Mime Mime Mime Mime!"

"You… You came back!" Meredith exclaimed as Team Rocket made their entrance, being flanked by Weezing, Seviper, Tropius and Yanmega.

"After what you did for us yesterday it was the least we could do," Jessie responded.

"We appreciate it, but what about your mission?" Meredith questioned.

"It can wait," James answered. "Besides, we can take care of these clowns in no time." That one comment sent a wave of anger through Slater.

"Why you… Just who do you think you are?!" he roared.

"Simple… your worst nightmare," Meowth replied.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that," Slater said. "Get 'em, boys!" The rest of the gang called on their Pokémon to attack Team Rocket. All in all they faced down a Rhyhorn, a Hypno, a Heracross, a Mightyena and a Purugly. Yet despite the opposition they were facing Team Rocket appeared confident.

"Shall we show them what happens to those who mess with Team Rocket?" James inquired.

"Let's," Jessie agreed. "Seviper, use Haze!"

"Smokescreen, Weezing!" James called. Both Pokémon spewed thick clouds from their mouths, Seviper a Haze cloud and Weezing a Smokescreen. The charging Pokémon all stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to do.

"Don't stop! Keep going!" Slater ordered.

"Magical Leaf!"

"Silver Wind!" Before the gangs' Pokémon could get back into action Jessie and James had their own Pokémon go on the attack. From within the smoke cloud Tropius attacked with Magical Leaf, striking the Rhyhorn while Yanmega hit the Hypno with a Silver Wind. Both attacks were strong enough to incapacitate their two targets, leaving the biker gang with three battle-ready Pokémon. The smoke cloud then cleared, revealing a confident Team Rocket.

"Amazing. They don't even look like they're trying," a villager commented. The rest of the villagers echoed his statement, each of them in awe of the skill Team Rocket was showing against Slater's gang.

"What are you doing?! Get them!" Slater demanded. The rest of the gang responded, mostly out of fear of what would happen should they disappoint their boss.

"Heracross, Megahorn!"

"Mightyena, Crunch!"

"Purugly, Body Slam!" The remaining three Pokémon shook off the initial shock and resumed their attack, charging towards Team Rocket.

"Let's take care of these losers!" Jessie declared. "Silver Wind!" With a furious flap of her wings Yanmega created a Silver Wind blast that easily took out the Mightyena.

"Weezing, Sludge Bomb!" James called. Weezing spat out a glop of sludge that exploded in the Purugly's face, stunning the Tiger Cat Pokémon to the point where Jessie could continue their attack.

"Poison Tail!" she called. Seviper lashed out with his bladed tail, slashing the Purugly and knocking her out of the battle. That left the Heracross as the lone Pokémon the bikers had left.

"You won't beat us that easily!" the Heracross's trainer declared. "Hyper Beam!" The villagers gasped as the Heracross began building up the energy needed for the attack.

"Alright! Let them have it!" Within seconds the Hyper Beam was fired at Team Rocket.

"Watch out!" Meredith screamed.

"Wobbuffet, Mirror Coat!" Jessie shouted. She threw out Wobbuffet's Poké Ball, calling on the Patient Pokémon. As the Hyper Beam neared his body took on a pinkish glow. When the Hyper Beam hit instead of exploding it was reflected back at the Heracross. The Single Horn Pokémon watched in fear as his own attack was turned on him. Team Rocket smirked as they watched the Hyper Beam exploded, eliminating the Heracross from the battle and leaving Slater's gang with no remaining Pokémon to battle with.

"No way! They beat us?!" Slater exclaimed.

"And that's why you don't mess with Team Rocket," Jessie declared. As Slater watched his gang recall their defeated Pokémon he stared daggers at Team Rocket. He was supposed to have the baddest gang in the area, and yet here were a couple of nobodies making fools of them. Well he wasn't going to stand for that.

"I will NOT be made a fool of!" he roared. He then grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it out. When the Ball opened a hiss of anger escaped Meowth's mouth.

"Of all the Pokémon for him to have…" the Scratch Cat Pokémon seethed. Standing across from them was the one Pokémon he despised more than anything…

A Persian.

"You may as well give up now. The Pokémon you've faced so far were mere kittens compared to my Persian," Slater boasted.

"Is that so? This should be fun then," Jessie commented. She was about to send out one of her Pokémon when Meowth stopped her.

"He's mine," he stated. Normally Jessie wouldn't like being stopped like that, but given Meowth's history with Persian she let this one slide.

"He's all yours," she said. She and James then recalled their Pokémon to make sure the battle would remain one-on-one. Slater's Persian sneered as Meowth stepped forward.

"(You think you can beat me?)" he questioned.

"No… I KNOW I can beat you," Meowth corrected.

"You sound pretty confident now, but let's see you stay confident after this! Slash!" On Slater's command his Persian lunged at Meowth, his claws bared and ready to strike.

"Child's play," Meowth scoffed as he easily moved to the side, avoiding the Persian's attack.

"You'll have to do better than that to hit Meowth," James stated.

"Alright, use Slash again!" Slater ordered. His Persian once again tried to strike with Slash, and once again Meowth easily ducked to the side.

"Let me show you how it's done!" Meowth yelled. Before the Persian could react Meowth attacked using Scratch, catching the Persian in the side. The attack didn't hurt that much, but it did annoy him. He glared at Meowth, earning a smirk from the Scratch Cat Pokémon.

"What's wrong? Am I moving too fast for you?" Meowth taunted.

"Okay then, let's try you 'special' Slash," Slater said. His Persian got his meaning and once again lunged at Meowth.

"It didn't work the first two times, so why keep trying?" Meowth questioned as he moved to the side. The lunge, however, was a ruse. As soon as he landed the Persian slapped Meowth down with his tail. With his opponent down it was much easier for him to make solid contact with Slash. Meowth groaned as the attack did critical damage.

"I guess I forgot to mention that we don't really like to play fair," Slater announced. As Meowth shook off the attack he looked at the Persian.

"Now, end this with Slash," Slater ordered. His Persian went to lunge for Meowth again, this time intent on ending the battle. The Scratch Cat Pokémon, however, appeared calm.

"Well I guess it's time to let you in on a little something," he stated.

"And what would that be?" Slater wondered.

"I don't like playing fair either!" As soon as the Persian was close enough Meowth grabbed a paw-full of dirt and threw it in the Persian's face, blinding the Classy Cat Pokémon.

"Time for me to go to work!" Meowth announced, and that's just what he did. With the Persian unable to see he attacked with Fury Swipes, repeatedly slashing at the Persian. The Classy Cat Pokémon tried in vain to defend against the attack, but without his sight that was proving to be impossible.

"And now for the finishing touches!" Meowth shouted. He ended his Fury Swipes and drew his paws back, his claws fully extended. He then slashed at him in an X-pattern, the Scratch attack leaving six crossing slashes across the Persian's face. With his attack done Meowth stepped back and watched as the Persian swayed back and forth a few times before falling to the ground.

"Amateurs," he spat.

"N-No… way… That's… impossible…" Slater stuttered. This was not what was supposed to happen. Persian was Slater's ace-in-the-hole, and now he was at his feet… defeated. The villagers, who had been watching silently up to this point, erupted with cheers once Slater's Persian was defeated.

"They did it! They won!" one cheered.

"Slater's gang has been taken down!" a second added.

"You see that, Slater?! Even your gang can be made to fall!" Duncan declared. "Meredith. Contact Officer Jenny. Tell her we have some criminals that need to be apprehended."

"Hah! We'll be long gone by the time the cops get here!" Slater boasted.

"That's what you think! Arbok, stop them with Glare!" Jessie shouted. Before Slater and his gang could attempt an escape they found themselves staring into the eyes of Jessie's Arbok.

"(Freeze!)" the Cobra Pokémon hissed. His eyes shone a bright yellow, putting Slater and his gang under the paralyzing power of his Glare.

"W-What the?! I… c-can't move!" Slater griped. The rest of his gang also voiced their displeasure at not being able to move.

"I don't think they'll be going anywhere, at least not until Officer Jenny arrives," James declared. Now that Slater's gang was completely defeated the villagers once again burst into cheer. Meredith once again left to contact Officer Jenny, all the while three individuals silently slipped away unnoticed.

* * *

Within minutes Officer Jenny arrived with a police van to load Slater's gang into, as well as a flatbed truck to transport their motorcycles. She was busy getting statements from all the villagers while the rest of the officers loaded Slater and his gang into the police van.

"So these guys stepped in and took on this gang all by themselves, and defeated them?" Officer Jenny asked as she took a statement from Meredith.

"Yes. Oh, you should have seen them. They made Slater and his gang look rather foolish," Meredith said.

"I wish I would have so I could thank them," Officer Jenny replied. "Did they say who they were?" Meredith thought for a bit.

"Umm… I think they said they were Team Rocket or something like that," she answered. Officer Jenny froze when she heard the name Meredith spoke of.

"Did you say Team Rocket?" she questioned.

"I believe so," Meredith replied. She noticed Officer Jenny had a look of concern on her face.

"Is something wrong?" she inquired.

"I had no idea Team Rocket had begun operations here in Legenda," Officer Jenny responded. "This is not good, not good at all."

"Why isn't that good?" Meredith wondered.

"Listen, I don't know what they did to earn your trust, but you shouldn't get yourself involved with them. Team Rocket is a criminal organization based out of Kanto whose sole purpose is to obtain powerful Pokémon through any means they find necessary," Officer Jenny explained.

"W-What?! But that… that can't be true! They risked so much to help us," Meredith argued.

"I don't know what their reasons were for helping you, but they only look out for themselves, not others. My advice… be wary around them," Officer Jenny advised. By then Slater's gang had been loaded and secured in the police van. Officer Jenny headed back to her motorcycle and left the village along with the van and truck. Meredith just watched, trying to process what she had just been told.

"_No… She can't be right. There's no way those three were criminals. There's just no way."_ While she thought Duncan approached her, a note in his hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Don't know. It's addressed to you," Duncan replied. Meredith had no idea who would leave her a note. Rather than stand there and wonder she took the note and looked at it.

"It's from Jessie, James and Meowth!" she exclaimed. She quickly opened the note and began to read:

**By now I'm sure Officer Jenny has come to pick up that creep and his gang, and I'm also sure you've told her who we are. She probably responded by saying we, or at least or organization, is nothing but a bunch of criminals. Well I'm going to set the record straight…**

**She's right.**

**Our organization, Team Rocket, is filled with nothing but criminals. We are as corrupt as they come, but that doesn't mean we don't have hearts. While we are criminals we couldn't leave without helping you solve your problem with that gang. Though we will never see each other again know that we were glad to have known you, your father and the people of your village, and hope you can live in peace from now on.**

**JJM**

Meredith didn't know what to say as she stood there clutching the note. It pained her to know that Officer Jenny was right about them being criminals, but it gave her peace of mind to know that, despite that, they could be persuaded to do good.

"I'm glad to have met you too," she whispered.

* * *

High in she skies over Legenda Team Rocket floated along in their Meowth balloon. Their recent activities were out of character for them, but they felt good about it.

"You think that'll be the last time they have to deal with that creep and his gang?" James wondered.

"After what we did to them I doubt if they'll want to look to make trouble again," Jessie replied.

"Yeah, we did put them in their place but good," Meowth added. "I have to admit, being good felt good."

"Yeah, but being bad feels even better," Jessie added. Her comrades agreed with her.

"Now, back to our mission… the conquest of Legenda!" Jessie declared. A chorus of cheers followed as they continued on their way.

"I wonder what the twerps have been up to?" Meowth wondered.

* * *

"Watch out, Totodile!" Ash's warning came too late for Totodile to dodge the incoming attack. For a while Ash and Totodile had been engaged in a difficult battle against a wild Magmar. What should have been an easy battle was proving to me more of a challenge than Ash thought because of the diverse moves possessed by the Magmar.

"Come on, Ash! You can do it!" Nikki cheered.

"(Don't give up, Totodile!)" Pikachu added.

"Use Water Gun!" Ash instructed. Totodile inhaled and spewed a powerful stream of water at the Magmar, but the Spitfire Pokémon blocked it with Protect before fighting back with Focus Blast.

"Dodge it!" Ash shouted. Totodile jumped to the side and avoided a direct hit, but the ensuing explosion was powerful enough to throw him even further to the side.

"(This isn't good. That Magmar is just too strong,)" Buneary commented.

"(Yeah, but that's just to make Ash and Totodile that much more determined to win,)" Pikachu replied. True to his words the looks on the faces of Ash and Totodile were those of pure determination.

"He's strong, but we're even stronger," Ash declared. "Let's show him what we're made of, Totodile!"

"(You got it!)" the Big Jaw Pokémon replied. As he got to his feet his body took on a white glow.

"T-Totodile!" Ash gasped.

"He's evolving!" Nikki exclaimed. His body grew larger, becoming more bulky than before. When the light faded Totodile's evolution into Croconaw was complete.

"Alright!" Ash cheered. He took out his Pokécomm and scanned his new Pokémon:

**Name: Croconaw**

**Species: The Big Jaw Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: Once it bites down, it won't let go until it loses its fangs. New fangs quickly grow into place.**

"That's awesome!" Ash exclaimed. As he continued to check out his new Pokémon he noticed there was another surprise for him.

"Hey! It looks like you learned a new move too," he commented. "Okay, Croconaw. You ready?"

"(You bet I am!)" the Big Jaw Pokémon replied.

"Okay then! Use Bite!" Ash instructed. Croconaw charged forward, his gaping maw wide open. The Magmar responded by spewing forth a Flamethrower.

"Dodge and stay on course!" Ash shouted. Croconaw did as he was asked and avoided the attack, never deviating from his set course. He quickly reached his target and bit down on Magmar's arm. The Spitfire Pokémon grunted in pain and tried to shake Croconaw off, but the Big Jaw Pokémon refused to let go. In one last attempt he struck Croconaw on the end of his snout with a Fire Punch. The sudden attack was enough to make Croconaw let go, but by then the damage had been done. Croconaw's new-found power was quickly weakening the Magmar, meaning the battle would soon be over.

"Okay, it's time to use your new move, Croconaw! Hydro Pump!" Croconaw spewed forth a stream of water, but unlike with Water Gun this one was much more powerful. Magmar had no time to protect himself from the super-effective attack. The stream of water blasted him off his feet, leaving him barely able to stand.

"Okay! Let's go, Poké Ball!" Ash hurled the red-and-white sphere at the downed Magmar, watching as it made contact and pulled him inside. Now it was time for the waiting game.

"Come on, stay in," Ash said. The ball shook one time… two times… three times… and then the resulting 'ping' signaled a successful capture.

"Alright! I caught a Magmar!" Ash cheered. Shortly after the successful capture the Poké Ball vanished, being transported back to Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town.

"I'll call to check on him at the next Pokémon Center," Ash said.

"I'm sure he'll be just fine," Nikki commented. "But man that was a tough battle. You and Toto… I mean Croconaw really had to work for that one."

"Yeah, but it was worth it in the end," Ash said. "Right, Croconaw?" The Big Jaw Pokémon was too busy with his usual dance, hopping from one foot to the other.

"(I guess that's one thing that'll never change, even if he does,)" Pikachu sighed.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Ash said. As Croconaw continued to dance Ash's thoughts went to his new Pokémon, and what it could possibly mean for his upcoming Area Boss battle.

* * *

Jessie, James and Meowth have gotten a taste of the hero's life by protecting a defenseless village from a motorcycle gang, while Ash adds new Pokémon to his roster in the form of a newly-caught Magmar and a newly-evolved Croconaw. What effect will these events have in the future? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	38. One Leg to Stand On

Before getting this chapter underway I'd like to take time to acknowledge a writer whose works I feel are of the highest quality. **Carlo Santos** is an amazing author who I feel has some equally amazing stories on the site. One in particular **In The Club: Cerulean City United's First Season** is one I'd easily rate among my top 5 among all the stories I've read. If you're looking for a great story to read then please give his a shot. You won't be disappointed.

**Chapter 38: One Leg to Stand On**

This was the hardest Ash had seen Nikki and her Pokémon train in a long time. They had been going almost non-stop for the past few hours, and Ash had to admit he was impressed with their progress. At the moment Nikki was working on a Contest appeal with Vulpix and Buneary.

"Okay, Vulpix! Just like we practiced! Energy Ball!" Nikki called.

"(Okay!)" Vulpix replied. The Fox Pokémon aimed up and launched an Energy Ball high into the air.

"Your turn, Buneary! Double Bounce!" Nikki cued. The Rabbit Pokémon then used Bounce to jump up towards the Energy Ball. Once she reached it she used Bounce again, this time propelling herself off the Energy Ball and higher into the air.

"Now, Hidden Power!" Nikki instructed. At the apex of her second Bounce Buneary formed a Hidden Power in her paws and hurled it down at the Energy Ball. The two attacks hit and exploded, showering the area in green glitter left behind from the explosion. Buneary then added some flair by doing a few mid-air twirls before landing next to Vulpix.

"Alright, that was perfect!" Nikki cheered. Buneary and Vulpix were overjoyed to have pulled off their routine perfectly. On the sidelines Ash and Pikachu were also impressed.

"That was an amazing performance," Ash praised.

"(Yeah,)" Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks, you guys. If we can pull this off in the Contest then that ribbon will be as good as ours," Nikki declared. Earlier in the day Nikki's Pokécomm alerted her to a Pokémon Contest taking place in nearby Lobo Valley.

"I feel like I'm falling behind everyone else. If I don't start winning I may not make it to the Grand Festival," she said. "I have to win this one. I just have to."

"And you will. I have faith in you and your Pokémon," Ash stated.

"(So do I,)" Pikachu added.

"(We all believe we'll win,)" Buneary said.

"(That's right,)" Vulpix agreed.

"Thanks, guys. I'm glad to know I get a vote of confidence from all of you," Nikki said. "Now I want to go over this routine one more time just to make sure we got it down, okay?" Buneary and Vulpix agreed and got back into position.

"Okay, just like before. Use Energy Ball!" Just as before Vulpix fired an Energy Ball into the air.

"Now Bounce!" So far things were going smoothly as Buneary used Bounce to jump up towards the Energy Ball, but just as she was about to use her second Bounce a strong gust of wind suddenly blew through. Not only did it cause Buneary to lose her focus but it also sent the Energy Ball sailing into a nearby forest. The attack struck a tree and exploded on impact. Thankfully Buneary managed to maintain her balance in the air and landed safely back on the ground.

"Buneary! Are you alright?!" Nikki wondered as she, Ash, Pikachu and Vulpix gathered around the Rabbit Pokémon.

"(A little shaken up, but other than that I'm fine,)" Buneary replied. Nikki let out a sigh of relief, glad to know that her Pokémon was uninjured.

"That's good. For a moment I was afraid that gust of wind did more than throw our routine off," Nikki commented. "Thankfully that's all it did." As soon as she said that Pikachu, Buneary and Vulpix all started looking around, their ears perked up.

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"(Something's here with us,)" Pikachu said.

"(He's right. I can definitely hear something,)" Buneary stated.

"(Me too,)" Vulpix added. The two trainers looked around, trying to spot what their Pokémon were hearing.

"I don't know what you guys hear but we don't see anything," Ash said.

"There's nothing but trees all around us," Nikki continued.

"(Believe us, there's something else out there,)" Pikachu retorted.

"Can you tell what it is?" Ash wondered. Pikachu listened for a bit, trying to determine what it was he and the other Pokémon heard. After a few minutes he looked up, concern etched across his face.

"(I don't know what it is, but I can tell you what it isn't,)" he stated.

"What's that?" Nikki wondered.

"(Friendly.)" Now they were really worried. Not only did they have an unknown presence in the area, but whatever it was apparently had bad intentions when it came to the group. As more time passed Ash and Nikki began to hear a strange sound.

"Is that the sound you guys heard?" Ash asked. The Pokémon nodded.

"Now all we have to do is figure out what that sound is," Nikki stated. The two trainers and their Pokémon remained quiet as they tried to identify the unknown sound. After a few seconds it started to become clear.

"Does that sound like… buzzing?" Nikki inquired. The more they listened the more they realized Nikki was right.

"If that really is buzzing then that means…" Before Ash could finish his statement an angry swarm of Beedrill burst forth from the trees.

"Run!" The group turned on their heels and ran as fast as they could, the swarm giving chase moments later.

"What's got them so angry?!" Ash asked.

"They must have been stirred up by the Energy Ball!" Nikki commented.

"(How about we do less talking and more running!)" Pikachu suggested. No one argued with him as they continued trying to escape their pursuers. As they ran the Beedrill began to attack them, firing volleys of Poison Sting at them.

"(Heads up!)" Buneary warned. Everyone looked back and saw the incoming attacks and quickly jumped out of the way. Nikki, though, wasn't watching where she was going. She came down awkwardly on her foot and fell to the ground.

"Nikki!" Ash called.

"(Get out of there!)" Buneary shouted. The Pinegrove trainer looked up and saw the swarm closing in on her. Her mind told her to get back up and run, but her body was paralyzed with fear. Seeing that she wasn't moving Ash ran back and put himself between her and the Beedrill.

"I won't let you hurt her!" he declared. Thankfully the Pokémon weren't going to let the Beedrill hurt either of them. While Ash acted as a shield Pikachu, Buneary and Vulpix were more like swords as they launched a volley of attacks at the swarm. A powerful combination of Thunderbolt, Hidden Power and Flamethrower was enough to convince the Beedrill to turn tail and run themselves.

"Whew… glad that's over," Ash sighed. "Thanks for the assist, gang." The Pokémon all looked back and smiled. He then turned his attention to Nikki.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied. Ash offered his hand and helped Nikki to her feet, but the minute she stood up she cried out in pain and fell back down, clutching her ankle.

"Nikki, what's wrong?!" Ash asked in a panic.

"My foot! It hurts!" she cried. By now the Pokémon were all standing around the suffering coordinator, concern etched across their faces.

"Can you stand?" Ash wondered. Nikki wasn't sure if she could or not. She made an attempt to stand, but when she tried to put some weight on her injured leg she a sharp pain made her fall to the ground once again.

"No… it hurts too much," she whimpered. Seeing the pain Nikki was in Ash knew there was only one thing to do.

"We have to find somewhere to get you help." He quickly took out his Pokécomm and began looking for any nearby towns or villages.

"Well, I found a Pokémon Center on the map," Ash announced. "Only thing is…"

"It's not exactly close by, is it," Nikki wondered.

"It's anything but," Ash replied. "Walking it would have taken us the rest of the day to get there."

"Well this is just great. How are we supposed to get there if I can't walk?" Nikki griped.

"We won't be walking," Ash said. Before Nikki could question him he grabbed a Poké Ball and called out Charizard.

"Nikki's hurt. We need you to fly us to a Pokémon Center," Ash explained.

"(Just tell me where to go,)" the dragon replied, more than willing to do whatever was necessary. Ash showed him the map on his Pokécomm, pointing out where the Pokémon Center in question was.

"Can you fly us there? I know it's a long way, but that's our only option," Ash requested. Charizard didn't have to think twice before agreeing. He crouched down to let the two trainers on his back. Nikki recalled Vulpix to her Poké Ball before letting Ash help her onto the dragon's back. Ash climbed on right behind her. Buneary then jumped into Nikki's arms while Pikachu decided to ride in Ash's backpack.

"Okay, Charizard! Let's go!" Ash called. The dragon beat his wings a few times before rising into the air and taking off towards the Pokémon Center Ash had shown him.

* * *

"There's the Pokémon Center!" The flight had taken a few minutes, but Charizard had gotten them to the Pokémon Center. After landing Ash quickly jumped off Charizard.

"I'm going to get Nurse Joy," he said.

"Alright," Nikki replied. Ash then hurried inside.

"Nurse Joy! Are you in?! We have an emergency!" he called. Almost immediately Nurse Joy and her Chansey appeared.

"I'm here. What's the emergency?" she inquired.

"It's my friend Nikki. She's hurt real bad," Ash explained. "Can you help her?"

"Where is she?" Nurse Joy inquired.

"Outside," Ash answered. He led Nurse Joy and Chansey outside to where Nikki was. As soon as Nurse Joy saw Nikki she paused.

"Oh dear," she commented.

"I know you specialize in treating Pokémon injuries, but we don't have any other options right now. Please, you have to help her," Ash pleaded. While it was true she was trained to deal with injured Pokémon she did have some knowledge when it came to treating human injuries. She approached Nikki.

"Okay, what hurts?" she asked.

"It's my foot," Nikki replied. Nurse Joy looked at her foot. She reached out and gently touched it, quickly retracting her hand once she saw Nikki flinch.

"Chansey, bring out a stretcher," she requested.

"(Right away,)" the Egg Pokémon replied. While Chansey went to get the stretcher Nurse Joy turned her attention back to Nikki.

"Don't worry. I'll do whatever I can to help you," she promised.

"Thank you," Nikki replied. Nurse Joy smiled and nodded as they waited for Chansey to return.

* * *

Half an hour had passed since Ash and Nikki arrived at the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy had prepared an empty room for them to stay in, which is where Ash and Nikki currently were. Nikki was sitting on one of the beds, her foot bandaged and with an ice pack resting on it. Buneary was sitting on her lap, a concerned look on her face. Ash and Pikachu were sitting on the other bed.

"(Are you going to be okay, Nikki?)" Buneary asked.

"To be honest I'll be better when Nurse Joy tells me what's wrong with my foot," Nikki stated. As soon as she said that Nurse Joy walked into the room.

"Did you find out anything?" Ash asked.

"It's not good, I'm afraid," she started.

"I was afraid of that," Nikki groaned. "Just how bad is it?"

"You've got a pulled muscle in your foot, and it's pretty bad," Nurse Joy said. That was not the news Nikki wanted to hear, and with her next question she feared the news would only get worse.

"How… How long until it heals?" she asked.

"With an injury this bad I recommend you staying out at least ten days," Nurse Joy recommended.

"Ten days?! But I have to get to Lobo Valley for a Pokémon Contest! I can't stay here for ten days!" Nikki protested.

"I'm sorry, but you're in no condition to do any competing," Nurse Joy argued.

"But I have to!" Nikki retorted. "I've already fallen too far behind as it is and I… ah!" Nikki tried to get out of the bed, but when she tried a sharp pain shot through her foot.

"Nikki!" Ash rushed to her side and helped her back down, making sure not to aggravate her injury any further.

"See what I mean? Now I know you don't like this, but you have to let your foot heal and that means letting it rest for at least ten days," Nurse Joy advised. By now the pain had started to subside, and rather than risk hurting herself further Nikki agreed to do as Nurse Joy asked.

"I've got to get back to my duties, but I'll be checking in on you from time to time," she said.

"Okay," Nikki replied. As Nurse Joy left the room Nikki let out an annoyed sigh.

"I can't believe this. After all the work we put in we don't even get the chance to compete," she griped.

"I'm sorry you have to miss the Contest," Ash said. "I just wish there was something I could do."

"So do I," Nikki commented.

"Do you want me to bring your Pokémon to Nurse Joy so she can heal them?" Ash offered.

"Might as well. It's not like they're going to be doing any training for a while," Nikki sighed. She handed Ash her Poké Balls. Buneary, however, decided to remain with Nikki. As Ash was heading for the door Nikki called out to him.

"I never thanked you for saving me back there when those Beedrill came after me," she said.

"Well, to be honest it was Pikachu and the others who drove them off," Ash stated.

"True, but you threw yourself in front of me before they attacked, so in a way you were the one leading the charge," Nikki responded. Realizing the truth in what she said Ash smiled.

"That's what friends do… they look out for each other." And with that he left to bring their Pokémon to Nurse Joy.

"Yeah… that's what friends do," Nikki repeated.

* * *

"Alright, Lobo Valley! Are you ready for some amazing performances?!" The crowd erupted as Christy got them fired up for the Lobo Valley Pokémon Contest. While Christy introduced the judges Jessie was with the other coordinators. As she looked over the competition she noticed someone was missing.

"I don't see the twerpette anywhere. I wonder why she skipped this one. Well, it's not like it matters any. I'm going to win whether she's here or not," she mused.

"Okay, let's get started with our first coordinator… the mysterious Lady Jessica!" Hearing her name being called Jessie strode forward with absolute confidence.

"Okay, Seviper, let's go!" she shouted, calling on her Fang Snake Pokémon. The Poké Ball opened, spewing forth intense flames, and from within the flames appeared Seviper.

"Use Haze!" Seviper obeyed and spewed forth a thick Haze cloud, obscuring everyone's vision.

"Lady Jessica starts off with Haze from her Seviper, but so far she's only sent out one Pokémon," Christy commented.

"_Don't worry. The second one is coming,"_ Jessie thought. "Now!" On her command Arbok burst forth from the Haze cloud with an intimidating hiss, his maw wide open. Many of the spectators in the front row screamed and jumped from their seats in surprise.

"Goodness me! Seviper's Haze was just a cover for Arbok to make a very intimidating entrance! A well-played move by Lady Jessica!" Christy commented.

"Now use Poison Tail!" Jessie shouted. A pair of red eyes flashed in the Haze cloud, followed shortly after by Seviper's bladed tail slicing through, dispersing the cloud and revealing both serpent Pokémon and Jessie.

"And now Seviper's Poison Tail disperses the Haze, revealing Lady Jessica and both of her Pokémon!" Christy announced over the roar of the excited crowd.

"An outstanding use of Haze to create a truly chilling Contest performance," Mr. Contesta commented.

"Simple remarkable," Mr. Sukizo added.

"Even though it was very frightening it fit the two Pokémon perfectly," Nurse Joy concluded. Jessie simply stood on stage with Seviper and Arbok, taking in the crowds' admiration.

"Take a good look. I'm the one who's going to win this Contest," she said. Up in the stands James and Meowth looked on in excitement.

"Our Jess is really looking good out there," Meowth commented.

"She may actually win this time," James hoped.

"Alright! Let's keep this rolling with our next coordinator!"

* * *

"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! The final round has been set!" Nikki sighed as she watched the Contest progress without her. The performances she saw were nothing short of spectacular, but in her mind she believed she and her Pokémon were just as good if not better than some of the ones she saw.

"We would have won that one easily," she said. Buneary, who was resting on her lap, looked up.

"Those Contest moves… they were good, no doubt about that. But I know ours are better," Nikki continued. "We were ready. This was our Contest to win, but thanks to me getting hurt we were never able to show it." Buneary could tell that Nikki was partly blaming herself for missing the Contest.

"(It's not your fault, Nikki. Accidents like this happen all the time. We'll just have to make sure we're ready for the next Contest,)" Buneary said.

"She's right, you know." Nikki glanced at the door and saw that Ash and Pikachu had walked in.

"It's just like Buneary said. Accidents like that happen. You can't put the blame for this on any one person or thing," he explained. "Besides, it's more important to make sure it doesn't happen a second time." Nikki thought about what both he and Buneary had said and realized they were both right.

"Thanks, you guys. I guess I was being too hard on myself due to the fact we missed the Contest," she admitted.

"It's okay. That just means you're going to be even more pumped for the next one," Ash commented. Nikki nodded in agreement.

"(Hey! The final round already started!)" Pikachu pointed out. Everyone turned their attention back to the television to see who would emerge victorious.

* * *

"We're down to the final minute, and so far it's been all Lady Jessica! Can her opponent pull off a come-from-behind victory?!" At the moment that appeared easier said than done. Jessie had managed to keep her opponent completely on the defensive due to the tactics she employed with Seviper and Arbok. At the moment she had more than twice the points that her opponent had.

"Alright, Breloom! Get ready with an Iron Tail!" her opponent, a young boy, called. His Breloom obeyed and powered up an Iron Tail.

"Now Kirlia, give him a boost with Psychic!" he instructed. His second Pokémon, a Kirlia, did as asked and used Psychic to levitate Breloom off the ground slightly. Then, with a swift motion of her hands, she sent the Mushroom Pokémon flying towards the two serpents.

"Haze!" Jessie called. Seviper opened his maw and spewed forth a thick Haze cloud.

"Whoa! Kirlia, stop!" the boy panicked. The Emotion Pokémon stopped Breloom mid-flight right before he reached the Haze cloud.

"Now use Poison Tail!" With frightening speed Seviper's tail shot out of the Haze cloud and struck the Breloom. Despite being in Kirlia's Psychic hold the Mushroom Pokémon was blown back, taking a chunk out of the boy's points.

"Very good, Seviper," Jessie praised. Seviper lashed out with his tail once more, clearing out the Haze cloud he created.

"Alright, Kirlia! Use Magical Leaf!" the boy shouted. Kirlia threw her hands forward and sent a volley of glowing green leaves at Jessie's Pokémon.

"Intercept with Poison Sting!" Jessie commanded. Arbok opened his mouth and spat out hundreds of poisonous needles. The needles intercepted the Magical Leaf, puncturing each of the magically created leaves. The Poison Sting then continued on course and struck the Kirlia with some of the needles carrying the remnants of the Magical Leaf with them. Kirlia cried out in pain as she was struck not only by Arbok's Poison Sting but also by her own redirected Magical Leaf. The boy's points fell even further.

"What do I do now?!" he wailed. He wouldn't get the opportunity to try, for moments later a buzzer went off, signaling the end of the round.

"Time's up! Now let's turn to the scoreboard and see who won!" Looking up the results didn't surprise anyone.

"And in overwhelming fashion the winner is… Lady Jessica!" The crowd erupted as Jessie basked in the glory of her victory.

"As if there was any doubt," she bragged. In the stands James and Meowth were also celebrating.

"She did it! She won!" James cheered.

"That's our Jess!" Meowth added.

"You know, I wonder why the twerpette didn't compete," James pondered.

"Who cares? All that matters is Jessie finally winning!" Meowth stated.

"You're probably right," James agreed. The two of them decided to just let Jessie enjoy the sweet taste of victory. They watched as Mr. Contesta approached Jessie to award her the Lobo Valley Contest ribbon.

"Congratulations. I understand this is your first victory," he said.

"First of many, to be exact," Jessie stated as she accepted the ribbon.

"You appear very confident. I like that," Mr. Contesta praised. "I look forward to watching your next Contest."

"And with that, folks, the Lobo Valley Pokémon Contest has concluded! We hope to see you all here next time! Now let's have a huge round of applause for our winner, Lady Jessica!" Jessie simply waved to the crowd as they gave her a standing ovation.

* * *

"Ah, winning feels so good," Jessie sighed as she stared at her newly-won ribbon.

"And with four more you're in the Grand Festival," Meowth said. A smug laugh came from the confident female.

"Those four will be easy to earn. This victory was but the first. I won't stop until I, Jessie, am crowned Top Coordinator!" she declared.

"Well I say let's ride this wave of momentum and finally snatch the twerp's Pikachu!" James suggested.

"Now that's a plan I can get behind," Meowth agreed.

"Then let's get back to our devious work," Jessie said.

"Right!" James and Meowth said. The trio left Lobo Valley to search for Ash and Nikki, hoping that Jessie's good fortune in the Contest would translate to good fortune for their other endeavors.

* * *

"I'm happy to say that your injury has fully healed, Nikki." It had been close to a week and a half since Nikki had injured her foot, and she was overjoyed to hear the clean bill of health that Nurse Joy had just given her.

"Thank you. It feels great to be back on my feet again," she stated.

"(You can say that again,)" Buneary agreed. The two of them, Ash and Pikachu were in the Pokémon Center lobby planning their next move.

"So, where to now?" Ash asked.

"With the Lobo Valley Pokémon Contest over the only place left to go is the Red Sands Desert," Nikki answered.

"If that's where you're heading then you don't have much further to go," Nurse Joy announced. "You can make it there in about two weeks if you keep a good pace going." Hearing this caused Ash's excitement level to go up.

Did you hear that, buddy? We're only two weeks away from our first Area Boss battle," he said.

"(I can't wait to see what challenges we'll have to face,)" Pikachu said.

"I can't either," Ash agreed.

"In that case I think we should get going or you two might come down from that high before we get there," Nikki suggested. After thanking Nurse Joy for all she had done the group left the Pokémon Center and continued on their way towards the Red Sands Desert, where Ash's first Area Boss battle awaited him.

* * *

An injury to Nikki has given Jessie the opportunity to secure her first Contest ribbon. With one win under her belt what will come next? And can Nikki bounce back from her recent setback? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

Please review


	39. Turning up the Heat

**Chapter 39: Turning Up the Heat**

"Use Flamethrower!"

"You use Flamethrower, too!" It was an exciting time for Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon. The Red Sands Desert was now only a short distance away, which meant Ash was that much closer to his first Area Boss battle. This, of course, meant Ash and his Pokémon would need to train harder than ever, which is what Nikki and her Vulpix were helping him and his Growlithe do. The two Fire types launched their Flamethrower attacks at each other, the two attacks proving to be equal in strength.

"Not bad, Nikki. Vulpix's Flamethrower is real impressive," Ash complimented.

"Thanks. I could say the same thing about Growlithe's," Nikki returned. The two battling Pokémon were just as impressed with each others' performance.

"(Your Flamethrower's gotten a lot stronger, Vulpix,)" Growlithe praised.

"(So has yours. The heat I felt off it was incredible,)" Vulpix responded.

"Okay, let's get back to it! Energy Ball!" The Grass type attack was quickly charged and ready to fire, but Ash had a counter strategy in mind.

"Confuse her with Double Team!" he called. Before Vulpix could fire she found herself surrounded by Growlithe. Ash thought he had found a way to confuse her, but the smirk on Nikki's face quickly made him second-guess that assumption.

"You know what to do, Vulpix," Nikki said.

"(Indeed I do,)" the Fox Pokémon agreed. She closed her eyes, making Ash and Growlithe worry about what was coming next.

"Don't tell me she's doing it again," Ash hoped. His hopes, unfortunately, went unanswered, for moments later Vulpix let loose her Energy Ball. The only thing that saved it from being a direct hit was Growlithe's agility. Ash sighed as Double Team once again failed to work against Vulpix.

"How in the world does she do that?" he wondered.

"How about we call the battle now," Nikki suggested. Ash agreed only so he could pick Nikki's brain and discover the secret behind Vulpix's ability to see through Growlithe's Double Team.

"How does she do it?" he asked. "No matter how many times I try I can't seem to get Vulpix to fall for Growlithe's Double Team. What's her secret?" Vulpix looked up at Nikki.

"(Should I tell them?)" she asked.

"Go ahead," Nikki replied. With a smile Vulpix walked up to Growlithe and tapped him on the nose.

"(I can smell you,)" she stated. The looks on Ash and Growlithe's faces could be described in one word… dumbfounded.

"You can… smell him," Ash repeated, not sure if he heard her right. "That's how you knew which one was the real Growlithe? You smelled him out?"

"(That's right. I just followed my nose,)" Vulpix stated. Ash just shook his head at her reply.

"Unbelievable. To think the trick to seeing through Growlithe's Double Team was so simple," he sighed.

"(Too bad there's no way to mask his scent in the middle of a battle,)" Pikachu stated.

"Tell me about it," Ash agreed.

"So, should we take a break from training? We've been going for a while now and I think the Pokémon all deserve a rest," Nikki suggested. Ash agreed with her and informed the Pokémon they had the rest of the day off. As the Pokémon left to enjoy the rest of the day Growlithe and Vulpix were off discussing the Fox Pokémon's unique battle strategy.

"(So you used your nose to find the real me through all those copies,)" he started.

"(Yeah. Glad to see it worked,)" Vulpix commented.

"(Just how did you come up with that anyway?)" the Puppy Pokémon wondered. Vulpix smirked. This was the perfect opportunity for one of her stories, and she wasn't going to pass it up.

"(I came up with the idea when I had to take on a Grimer one day,)" she started. "(We were battling in a real dark cave, but as you may know Vulpix are known for having great eyesight. Unfortunately for me that Grimer knew that too, because the first thing he did was spit some Sludge in my eyes and blind me.)"

"(That had to be annoying,)" Growlithe commented. By now some of the other Pokémon had gathered around to hear Vulpix's tale.

"(It was, but was still able to track him with my ears. I figured that as long as I could hear where he was I could still fight back, but then he used Screech. Normally that would be painful to the ears, but since we were in a cave it was made that much worse. When he was done I was completely deaf,)" Vulpix continued.

"(So wait… you couldn't see or hear? How did you end up winning?)" Growlithe asked.

"(Well, as you can imagine I was thinking 'That's it! I'm done for! I can't see, I can't hear, there's no way I can win this!',)" Vulpix said. "(But then, I realized something.)"

"(What was that?)" Growlithe inquired. Before replying she tapped her nose.

"(I could still smell him,)" she answered. "(Even with my sight and hearing gone my nose still let me know exactly where he was.)"

"(I bet. Grimer have a real pungent odor. It's real hard to miss,)" Pikachu stated.

"(And that pungent odor was just what helped me keep track of him,)" Vulpix said. "(Eventually I was able to defeat him and find my way out of that cave.)"

"(How did you do that?)" Buneary wondered.

"(I used my nose to try and smell my way out. I was able to sniff out the fresh air that would lead me to the mouth of the cave, but even my nose couldn't help me avoid all the rocks I tripped over getting there,)" Vulpix explained. "(I can't even begin to count how many times I caught my foot on a rock and fell.)"

"(But the fact you're here means you eventually got out,)" Growlithe said.

"(That's right. By then my hearing had come back, but I still couldn't see, so using my ears and my nose I found a nearby stream where I could wash the sludge out of my eyes. After that I made it a priority to train myself to be able to battle under various conditions, including ones where I couldn't see,)" Vulpix continued.

"(And that's how you were able to see through my Double Team so easily,)" Growlithe assumed.

"(You got it,)" Vulpix confirmed.

"(Hey, Pikachu, do you think her story was true or made up?)" Buneary whispered.

"(Hard to say, but it would explain how she got the idea to use her nose to help her combat evasion moves like Double Team,)" Pikachu responded. While the two of them wondered how much of Vulpix's story was true the Fox Pokémon was still engaged in a conversation with Growlithe.

"(You know, you're an amazing Pokémon,)" Growlithe praised.

"(Oh stop it. You're going to make me blush,)" Vulpix cooed.

"(I mean it. I've never met a Pokémon that could compare to you,)" Growlithe continued. "(You've got great battle sense… not to mention you're beautiful as well.)" If Vulpix wasn't blushing before what Growlithe just said certainly made her start.

"(Do you… really mean that?)" she wondered.

"(Every word,)" Growlithe confirmed. Vulpix's blush grew deeper with each second that passed, her feelings for Growlithe growing right along with it.

"(Remember when we first met… and I tried to tell you something, but couldn't… and you said you'd wait as long as it took for me to say it?)" Growlithe inquired.

"(Yeah,)" Vulpix answered.

"(Well… I think… no, I know I'm ready to tell you now,)" Growlithe announced. Vulpix held her breath as she waited for Growlithe to say the words he couldn't the time before.

"(Vulpix… I…)" Before he could begin he spotted something strange in the bushes behind Vulpix.

"(Growlithe? Is something wrong?)" Vulpix wondered after he suddenly stopped talking.

"(What's that behind you?)" Growlithe said. At first Vulpix thought he may have been stalling, but once she turned around she saw the same thing he did. There was a strange glow coming from the bushes behind her, and just like Growlithe she too wondered what was causing it.

"(Come on. Let's see what that is.)" Vulpix nodded and followed the Puppy Pokémon towards the bushes. Out of the corner of her eye Nikki noticed Vulpix and Growlithe heading towards the bushes.

"Where are they going?" she wondered. By then the two Fire types had reached the bushes and looked behind them.

"(What's that?)" Vulpix asked. On the ground were two glowing stones. They appeared to be orange in color and had a flame in the center.

"(What do you suppose they are?)" Vulpix repeated.

"(I don't know,)" Growlithe asked. He reached out with a paw to touch the mysterious stone when…

"Growlithe, don't!" Ash's sudden warning made Growlithe immediately withdraw his paw. Shortly after that he, Nikki, Pikachu and Buneary all appeared next to them.

"Whew. Good thing we stopped you in time," Ash sighed.

"(Are those things… dangerous?)" Growlithe inquired as he turned his attention back to the stone.

"Not dangerous, but they can alter your life," Nikki answered.

"(What are they?)" Vulpix asked.

"Fire Stones," Ash told her.

"(What do they do?)" the Fox Pokémon inquired.

"When used on certain Pokémon, like you or Growlithe, they can make you evolve," Nikki explained.

"(Evolve?)" Growlithe questioned.

"Yeah," Nikki confirmed. "You'd evolve into an Arcanine and Vulpix would evolve into a Ninetails." The two Fire types looked at each other and then back at their trainers.

"Here. Look at these," Nikki said. She and Ash both took out their Pokécomms and showed Growlithe and Vulpix their evolved forms.

**Name: Arcanine**

**Species: The Legendary Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: The sight of it running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night has captivated many people.**

**Name: Ninetails**

**Species: The Fox Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: Each of its nine tails is imbued with supernatural power, and it can live for a thousand years.**

"That's what each of you will evolve into," Nikki said. The two small Fire types were left in awe by what Ash and Nikki had just showed them.

"(Amazing,)" Growlithe replied. Vulpix nodded in agreement, unable to find her voice at the moment.

"They are powerful Pokémon, but once you evolve there's no going back," Ash explained. "It's a big step and we wanted to make sure you two were absolutely sure you wanted to evolve." Now the two of them understood why Ash had warned them against touching the Fire Stones.

"(Well, with what you just said, I think Vulpix would agree with me saying we'll need some time to think,)" Growlithe stated.

"(Yeah. This isn't something we can just decide to do on a whim,)" Vulpix agreed.

"We understand," Nikki told them. She and Ash then each took one of the Fire Stones and put them in their backpacks.

"Just let us know when you two are ready and we'll let you have the Fire Stones," Ash said. The two Fire types nodded as Ash and Nikki left them alone. Though they had the rest of the day to enjoy themselves they couldn't get their minds off the Fire Stones, and the possibility of evolving into something stronger than they already were.

* * *

Once nighttime arrived Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon turned in. Because there wasn't a Pokémon Center nearby they had to make do sleeping out under the stars. However sleep did not come easily for two certain Pokémon. With thoughts of evolving still swirling around in their heads Growlithe and Vulpix took a walk through the forest to try and come to a decision.

"(So, what do you think? Our evolved forms looked amazing,)" Vulpix commented.

"(Yeah, they did,)" Growlithe agreed. "(Just seeing them made me want to evolve right then and there, but…)"

"(Let me guess… going through such a big change is a bit frightening, right?)" Vulpix assumed. Growlithe nodded.

"(I want to evolve, I really do… but I'm a little afraid that my appearance won't be the only thing changing. What if… What if I become a different Pokémon all together, both in appearance and personality? I don't want to change who I am,)" the Puppy Pokémon said.

"(I know what you mean,)" Vulpix agreed. "(If it changes who I am then I'm not sure if I want to evolve either, not matter how strong I may become.)" The two Pokémon came to a stop in a clearing and looked up towards the star-lite sky.

"(So what do we do?)" Vulpix asked.

"(I say we ask Ash and Nikki about it tomorrow and then decide,)" Growlithe answered. Vulpix nodded in agreement with him. With that decided they were about to head back when a yawn escaped Vulpix's mouth.

"(You tired?)" Growlithe wondered.

"(Just a little,)" Vulpix replied. "(I'm… just going to take… a… quick… nap…)" Before Growlithe could say anything Vulpix had drifted off to sleep, resting her head against him. Growlithe knew they had to get back to Ash and Nikki, but Vulpix looked so peaceful he found it difficult to want to wake her.

"(I guess it wouldn't hurt to rest here a bit before heading back.)" With that he too closed his eyes, deciding on a quick nap before heading back.

* * *

The normally peaceful morning was interrupted by the sound of furious scurrying. Despite only wanting to take a short nap Growlithe and Vulpix accidentally slept through the entire night and were now hurrying back to the camp where they were sure Ash and Nikki were wondering where they went.

"(I can't believe we did that!)" Growlithe barked. "(It was only supposed to be a short nap!)"

"(We're both guilty on this one!)" Vulpix replied. "(For now let's focus on getting back to camp! We'll worry about the explanation later!)" They picked up the pace, hoping they hadn't caused Ash and Nikki to worry about them too much. Within minutes the campsite came into view.

"(Yes! We made…)" Growlithe's celebration was cut short once he saw the situation in front of him.

"(What's wrong, Growlithe?)" Vulpix asked once she saw him stop. He said nothing and just motioned in front of him. When Vulpix looked she gasped.

"(Oh no…)" On one side of the campsite stood Ash and Nikki, and on the other side was Team Rocket. Behind the trio were Pikachu and Buneary, each locked in a separate cage, along with a sack that more than likely contained Ash and Nikki's Poké Balls. The situation was made even worse by the fact that Arbok and Weezing were keeping Ash and Nikki at ay, stopping them from retrieving their Poké Balls.

"(Oh no! How did this happen?!)" Vulpix gasped.

"(We'll find out later. Right now we have to help our trainers,)" Growlithe said. Vulpix nodded in agreement as the two Fire types waited for the right time to jump into the fray.

* * *

"Give us back our Pokémon!" Ash demanded, though in the back of his mind he had a feeling his demands would go unanswered.

"Not a chance, twerp! They're ours now!" Jessie declared. Behind her Pikachu and Buneary banged on the bars to their cages.

"Just give it up. There's no way you're breaking free of those cages," Meowth stated.

"And since we have all the twerps' other Pokémon in the bag there's no back-up for them to call on," Jessie added. "Face it! We hold all the cards here!" It appeared as though Team Rocket was right, but at that moment Growlithe and Vulpix burst onto the scene to try and even the odds.

"G-Growlithe! Vulpix! Where did you two come from?!" Nikki gasped.

"(We'll tell you later. Right now we have to take care of these clowns,)" Growlithe stated. Jessie, James and Meowth simply laughed at the declaration.

"You can't be serious! Our Pokémon are too strong for you lightweights!" Meowth spat. Weezing moaned and Arbok let out a menacing hiss. Despite facing opponents that were clearly much stronger than they were neither Pokémon showed any fear.

"Arbok, Poison Sting!" Jessie ordered. With a loud hiss Arbok opened his mouth and spat out hundreds of poisonous needles.

"Dodge it!" Ash and Nikki shouted. Growlithe and Vulpix did as instructed and quickly move out of the way of the attack.

"Now use Flamethrower!" they instructed.

"Use Smokescreen!" James countered. Moments before Growlithe and Vulpix fired their Flamethrowers Weezing blanketed the area around himself and Arbok with Smokescreen. When the two Fire attacks penetrated the smoke cloud no one knew whether they hit their targets or not.

"Poison Sting!"

"Sludge Bomb!" They got their answer when the two attacks flew out of the smoke cloud. Vulpix was showered by Arbok's Poison Sting while Growlithe was blasted back by the explosion from Weezing's Sludge Bomb.

"We've got to clear that Smokescreen," Nikki said.

"I'm on it. Growlithe, use Flame Wheel to get rid of that smoke!" The Puppy Pokémon cloaked his body in flames and swirled through the Smokescreen, revealing Team Rocket's Pokémon.

"Now switch to Flamethrower!" Ash instructed. Growlithe quickly stopped his Flame Wheel and spat a Flamethrower.

"Use Sludge Bomb to block that!" James ordered. Before the Fire attack could hit it was successfully blocked by Weezing's Sludge Bomb.

"Iron Tail, Vulpix!" Nikki called. The Fox Pokémon charged in and swung her Steel-charged six tails at Weezing. Unfortunately the Poison Gas Pokémon lazily floated up and out of Vulpix's reach.

"(Drat!)" Vulpix groaned.

"Look out!" Vulpix was so focused on Weezing she failed to notice Arbok rapidly approaching her. By the time Nikki warned her the Cobra Pokémon was literally on top of her.

"(Now you're mine!)" Arbok hissed. Vulpix was frozen in fear, meaning she couldn't defend herself. With that in mind Growlithe took it upon himself to defend her. He quickly jumped between Vulpix and Arbok.

"Use Roar!" Ash shouted. Growlithe let out the most intimidating bark he could muster, but in the face of Arbok it sounded like nothing more than a yelp. Jessie laughed at the attempt.

"You think that can intimidate Arbok!? Show them what real intimidation looks like!" she said. Arbok looked down at the two small Pokémon before him and hissed loudly. Both Fire types flinched, succumbing to Arbok's intimidation tactic.

"Now swat them away," Jessie ordered. With a swipe of his tail Arbok sent Growlithe and Vulpix rolling across the ground. The two Fire types were left dazed, leaving them wide-open for a follow up attack.

"Now immobilize them!" Jessie ordered. Arbok and Weezing burst forth from the Smokescreen and targeted the two downed Fire types. Weezing brought his entire body weight down onto Growlithe while Arbok coiled himself around Vulpix.

"No!" Nikki cried.

"Try to break free!" Ash urged. The two smaller Pokémon tried to break free, but the larger and stronger Team Rocket Pokémon would have none of it.

"I think it's time to put an end to their resistance," Jessie said.

"I couldn't agree more," James agreed. On their command Arbok and Weezing made things even more difficult for Growlithe and Vulpix. Arbok tightened his coils while Weezing floated up a bit before coming crashing down onto Growlithe once again.

"Don't give in! You can do it!" Ash urged, but no matter how much he tried to encourage them they were in dire straits. Arbok and Weezing were using their size advantage to literally crush the life out of the two Fire types.

"What do we do now? They're not strong enough to free themselves," Nikki commented. Ash didn't want to agree with her, but deep down he knew she was right. Growlithe and Vulpix didn't have the size or physical strength to try and go toe-to-toe with Arbok and Weezing… unless…

"Ash! The Fire Stones!" Nikki shouted. The Pallet Town trainer looked at her as she reached into her backpack and grabbed the Fire Stone she placed there earlier.

"If we use the Fire Stones on them they'll evolve and be strong enough to beat Team Rocket's Pokémon," Nikki explained. Understanding her ide Ash searched through his backpack and found his Fire Stone.

"Growlithe! Vulpix!" The two looked towards Ash and Nikki upon hearing their names called.

"Catch!" Ash and Nikki threw the Fire Stones towards their Pokémon. As the stones flew through the air Growlithe and Vulpix looked to each other.

"(No… choice,)" Growlithe said. "(We… have to… to win…)"

"(Then let's evolve… together,)" Vulpix added. The two smiled at each other as the stones landed next to them. Growlithe reached out with a paw while Vulpix used her tails to reach her Fire Stone. The minute they touched them both Pokémon and the stones began to glow. Both Arbok and Weezing released them and jumped back out of shock.

"Oh man… not good!" Meowth groaned. Ash and Nikki smirked as they watched their Pokémon undergo their changes. Both got noticeably larger. The small tuft of white fur on Growlithe's head grew into a large mane while Vulpix's six tails uncurled and split to create three more. When the glow finally faded Arcanine and Ninetails were revealed, both ready for battle.

"Alright!" Ash cheered.

"Now let's win this!" Nikki shouted. Despite having just witnessed two simultaneous evolutions Team Rocket remained confident.

"Just because they evolved it doesn't mean you're going to win!" Jessie declared. "Poison Sting!" Arbok opened his mouth and fired another Poison Sting volley.

"Dodge and use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. Arcanine's powerful leg muscles easily let him jump over the incoming Poison Sting. As he neared the apex of his jump he inhaled and breathed out a massive Flamethrower, the Fire attack engulfing the Cobra Pokémon.

"Smokescreen, Weezing!" James ordered. Looking to conceal himself Weezing spewed a thick smoke cloud. However, Ash and Nikki weren't concerned at all.

"I believe this is right up your alley," Ash commented.

"That it is," Nikki agreed. "You know what to do, Ninetails."

"(Of course,)" she replied.

"Don't think you'll hit your target in this Smokescreen! You can't even see what you're aiming at!" James scoffed.

"(True, but I don't need my eyes to hit my target,)" Ninetails countered. Arcanine smiled, knowing exactly what Ninetails was up to. He just looked on as she closed her eyes and fine-tuned her other senses. Ears twitching and nose sniffing she searched for her target. After a few seconds a smile appeared on her face.

"(There you are!)" she barked.

"Alright! Flamethrower!" Nikki called. The Fox Pokémon fired a Flamethrower into the smoke cloud, striking Weezing with pinpoint accuracy. The Poison Gas Pokémon burst out the back of the smoke cloud and fell to the ground at Team Rocket's feet, spewing more smoke as he did. Unfortunately for them Team Rocket found themselves being blinded this time around.

"H-Hey! I can't see anything!" Meowth shrieked.

"James, do something!" Jessie demanded.

"What?! Why me?!" James protested.

"Your Weezing created this mess, so it's only fair you clean it up!" Jessie said.

"I don't care who does it, just as long as it gets done!" Meowth griped. With an annoyed sigh James grabbed Tropius's Poké Ball and called out the Fruit Pokémon, who then proceeded to tackle him to the ground.

"(Rice ball, please,)" he requested.

"I'll get you your rice ball as soon as you get off me and clear this smoke," James replied.

"(Okay!)" Tropius quickly went to work, flapping his wings and clearing out the smoke cloud left behind by Weezing. Once the job was done James made good on his promise and fed Tropius his rice ball. In one bite Tropius downed the snack.

"(Yummy… thank you!)" With a quick word of thanks James returned Tropius to his Poké Ball.

"Well, now that that's been taken care of we can finally get back to dealing with the twerps," Jessie said. "Now, let's…"

"Oh no!" A panicked scream from Meowth brought the group's attention to the Scratch Cat Pokémon.

"What?! What is it?!" James asked.

"They're gone!" Meowth screamed. He and Jessie were about to ask what he was talking about, but one quick look at their surroundings provided the answer. The sack containing the stole Poké Balls was gone and both Pikachu and Buneary's cages had been torn open.

"Impossible! Those two couldn't have escaped on their own and taken the Poké Balls with them!" Jessie shrieked.

"Well somehow they did!" Meowth retorted. "The only question is how!"

"Hey! Team Rocket!" All three looked up when they heard their names called, but what they saw didn't leave them feeling too terribly confident. Standing across from them was a very confident Ash and Nikki, along with Arcanine, Ninetails, Pikachu, Buneary and the sack full of Poké Balls.

"No way! How did they get them back without us noticing?!" Meowth shrieked.

"You can thank Weezing's Smokescreen for that," Nikki stated. "Once you guys were blinded it was easy for Arcanine and Ninetails to sneak in, get our Pokémon and Poké Balls back and sneak back out."

"And now I think it's time to send you on your way," Ash added. As Team Rocket looked Pikachu, Buneary, Arcanine and Ninetails all had devious smirks on their faces.

"I don't think we're going to like where this is going," Meowth whimpered.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Arcanine, Flamethrower!"

"Buneary, Hidden Power! Ninetails, use Energy Ball!" Team Rocket screamed in terror as Ash and Nikki's Pokémon fired their attacks. The combination of Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Hidden Power and Energy Ball created a chain reaction that, as Ash perfectly put it earlier, sent Team Rocket on their way.

"We're blasting off again!" they shrieked as they vanished out of sight.

"Whew… we managed to drive them off," Ash sighed.

"Yeah. Great work, everyone, especially you two," Nikki praised, directing the last of her praise to Arcanine and Ninetails.

"She's right. If it weren't for the two of you we would have been in a real bind," Ash added. "We were lucky you showed up when you did, and that you were willing to evolve." The two Fire types beamed with pride amidst the praise they were receiving. During this they glanced at each other, sharing a smile.

"I would say we need to hit the road and get to the nearest Pokémon Center, but according to the Pokécomm there isn't one," Nikki announced.

"In that case I say we set up camp right here," Ash suggested. "I mean, we've already got everything set up. All we have to do is clean up the mess left over from the battle with team Rocket." With no one protesting the suggestion Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon got to work cleaning up their temporary campsite.

* * *

Based on the events from earlier in the day it came as no surprise that sleep not only came easily, but quickly for some of the group. For two, though, sleep was the furthest thing from their minds. With their energy levels still running high from their evolutions earlier in the day Arcanine and Ninetails were sitting together a bit away from the group.

"(Wow… I still can't believe everything that happened today,)" Ninetails admitted.

"(You said it,)" Arcanine agreed.

"(I mean, at first I was nervous about evolving, but looking at you gave me the confidence to go through with it,)" the Fox Pokémon explained.

"(I'm just glad we decided to evolve together,)" the Legendary Pokémon replied. "(I have to say I like the way you look now. Your evolved form looks so elegant.)" Ninetails was visibly blushing from his compliment.

"T-Thank you, and just to let you know your evolved form looks so powerful and dependable, not to mention attractive,)" Ninetails said. Now it was Arcanine's turn to blush. After that the two of them sat in silence for a bit.

"(So… you wanted to tell me something earlier,)" Ninetails suddenly said. Because of all the chaos that happened earlier Arcanine had almost forgotten that little fact. For a brief moment he forgot what he was going to say, but once he looked at Ninetails the words seemed to come to him.

"(Well… what I wanted to say to you… was something I should have said already,)" he began. Ninetails gave him her full attention.

"(Like I said, when we first met I tried to tell you something, but I couldn't find the words,)" Arcanine continued. "(But that's changed now. I know exactly what I want to say.)"

"(Y-Yes?)" Ninetails replied in eager anticipation.

"(When I first met you I… I thought you were very attractive. But now… I find you absolutely beautiful, the most beautiful Pokémon I've ever seen,)" he declared.

"(You really think I'm beautiful?)" Ninetails questioned.

"(I do, but there's so much more to you than that,)" Arcanine stated. "(You're also smart, strong, graceful… you're everything anyone would want.)" Ninetails was left speechless. The way Arcanine was describing her, the things he was saying about her… it all left her too stunned to respond.

"(All those things are why I… I… I love you,)" Arcanine admitted. "(I should have said those words sooner, and I regret not being able to. But now I…)" He was interrupted by Ninetails kissing him. When she was done it was Arcanine's turn to be left speechless.

"(N-Ninetails?)" he stuttered.

"(You know, even though I knew what you wanted to say to me I… it still left me speechless,)" she admitted. "(And… it makes what I want to tell you easier.)"

"(What do you mean?)" Arcanine asked. Ninetails giggled a bit before answering Arcanine's question.

"(I love you too, silly,)" she said. Arcanine's eyes went wide for a moment before brightening up.

"(Y-You do? Really?!)" he stuttered. Ninetails nodded, which put a huge smile on Arcanine's face. Despite his overwhelming joy there was a question on his mind that he just had to ask.

"(If you knew I loved you, and since you loved me too, why didn't you just tell me?)" he wondered.

"(Well… I was waiting for you to say it first,)" Ninetails admitted.

"(So wait… You didn't want to say anything until I said it first?)" Arcanine inquired with a curious expression on his face. "(Why's that?)"

"(Well, traditionally the guy always says 'I love you' first,)" Ninetails sheepishly explained. After hearing this Arcanine smiled.

"(Well… who are we to break tradition,)" he stated. The two of them laughed before briefly locking eyes. The two of them shared a short kiss before Ninetails rested her head in the crook in Arcanine's neck. The Legendary Pokémon rested his head on top of hers, and there they remained there for the rest of the night.

* * *

As Growlithe and Vulpix took the next step and evolved into Arcanine and Ninetails their for each other grew along with them. Now with two new powerful Pokémon by their sides what will come next for Ash and Nikki on their journey? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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	40. Desert Discoveries

**Chapter 40: Desert Discoveries**

"We finally made it!" Ash shouted. After a long trip the group finally got their first look at the Red Sands Desert, the location of the first Area Boss. Standing on top of a nearby hill gave them the perfect view of the sheer size of the desert. For as far as they could see there was nothing but red sand stretching seemingly endlessly.

"(It's huge,)" Buneary commented. "(Just how are we supposed to find the Area Boss in there?)" Ash wondered that as well, so he took out his Pokécomm and looked at the map. A red blip was flashing close to the center of the desert.

"I guess we follow this," he suggested.

"That looks like our best option at the moment," Nikki agreed. With his Area Boss battle closer than ever Ash's excitement level began to build up.

"Okay! Let's get going!" he shouted. Nikki shook her head as he and Pikachu continued on ahead.

"Never short on enthusiasm, is he," she commented.

"(Nope,)" Buneary answered. Not wanting to be left behind the two of them quickly caught up to Ash and Pikachu.

* * *

Shortly after entering the Red Sands Desert Ash, Nikki and their Pokémon were introduced to the area's major downside… the extreme heat. Since there were no clouds in the sky the sun was free to beat down on them mercilessly. Both the trainers and their Pokémon were sweating profusely as they pressed on.

"Oh man… I'm burning up out here," Nikki complained.

"I guess that's why it's called a desert," Ash stated, taking a moment to wipe his brow. He grabbed a water bottle and opened it up, but to his horror the bottle was empty.

"No… my bottle's empty," he said. Nikki then grabbed hers and checked it.

"Mine too," she added. "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, without any water… we need to find a way… out of the sun," Ash stated. Nikki nodded as the group began searching for any shelter from the unforgiving sun. Unfortunately there didn't appear to be anything that would provide them with said cover. Everywhere they looked only had endless miles of sand, completely void of any shade-providing rocks or trees.

"This is… crazy. We… can't keep… going on… like… this," Ash panted. Shortly after saying that Pikachu and Buneary passed out, the heat becoming too much for the two Pokémon.

"Oh no"! Nikki gasped.

"This is… getting bad," Ash said. "We'll have to… carry them." He picked up Pikachu while Nikki picked up Buneary.

"Okay… let's keep moving." The two of them managed to take a few more steps before Nikki collapsed.

"Nikki!" Ash shouted.

"I… I can't… I can't… go on…" she wheezed.

"No, Nikki! You… can't give in!" he urged. He desperately tried to pull her to her feet, but in his current state Ash was just barely able to keep himself standing.

"You… still have to… win the… Grand… Festival!" he said. "You… can't give up now… not… without… achieving… your… dream…" Eventually Ash's strength gave out on him as well. Just as Nikki and the Pokémon before him he too collapsed onto the sand. Under the unforgiving sun the four of them would surely perish before long, but as they laid there a cloud of dust was fast approaching. And at the head of that dust cloud was a single vehicle.

* * *

"Oh… my aching head…" A few more groans escaped Ash's mouth as his eyes slowly opened. Once his eyes had time to adjust he sat up and looked around at his surroundings. Instead of the middle of a desert he appeared to be in the middle of a rather large tent.

"How did I get here?" he wondered.

"(Ash! You're awake!)" The Pallet Town trainer barely had enough time to prepared before a yellow blur dove into his chest.

"Pikachu! You're okay!" Ash exclaimed as he hugged his Pokémon partner. "Where are Nikki and Buneary?"

"We're right here." Standing near the tent entrance were Nikki and Buneary.

"You two okay?" he asked.

"We're both just fine," Nikki replied. Ash was relieved to see they were alright, but he was also curious to know where they were, and how they got there.

"The last thing I remember is passing out in the desert, and then waking up here," Nikki recalled.

"Same here," Ash said. "But how did we go from the desert to here?"

"I brought you here." Both of them were a bit startled by the new person that entered the tent, a young blonde haired man who dressed in a white t-shirt, tan vest, cargo shorts and hiking boots.

"You brought us here?" Nikki questioned.

"That's right. My crew and I were on our way back to our base camp when we came across you passed out in the desert, and let me tell you it was fortunate for you that we did. Any longer and you all wouldn't have survived," he explained.

"Wow. Looks like we owe you your lives," Ash said.

"Yeah. Thanks," Nikki added.

"Think nothing of it," the man responded. "I would like to know what you were doing in the desert in the first place. Not many people travel through here, much less on foot."

"We were looking for the Area Boss. We think he's somewhere around here," Ash explained. That explanation seemed to pique the man's interest.

"The Area Boss, you say," he commented. "Are you looking to qualify for the Legenda League?"

"That's right," Ash answered. "I've already got two badges, so now I can compete for my first Area Crest." HHe then took out his badge case and opened it, letting the man see the two badges he earned so far.

"Hmm… very impressive," he commented. "I think you'd be a worthy challenger… umm…" Right then Ash realized neither he nor Nikki had introduced themselves yet.

"Sorry. It's Ash. Ash Ketchum," Ash said.

"And I'm Nikki," Nikki added.

"And my name is Heath, archeologist and the Area Boss you are looking for," the man said. Both Ash and Nikki were stunned by the man's declaration.

"You're the Area Boss?" Ash asked.

"That I am," Heath answered.

"Who knew the guy who rescued us in the desert would be the very one we were looking for," Nikki stated.

"(Talk about a lucky break,)" Pikachu added.

"It was lucky indeed. I must say, Ash, I am curious to see just how strong you and your Pokémon are," Heath commented.

"So… does that mean…"

"It does. I, Heath, hereby accept your challenge," he announced. Now that Ash knew he would be facing off against his first Area Boss he felt a surge of strength run through his body.

"Oh yeah! I can't wait!" he cheered.

"But first, I'd like to show you the battlefield we'll be using," Heath said.

"Is there something special about it?" Nikki wondered.

"Follow me and you'll see," Heath suggested. They were both curious to know if there was something special about the battlefield, so they took his advice and followed him out of the tent.

* * *

"Hold on. Are we still in the Red Sands Desert?" Upon exiting the tent Ash and Nikki were having a difficult time believing they were still in a desert. Instead of a desolate landscape devoid of any kind of life they saw a small lake surrounded by plenty of trees.

"We can't still be in the desert… can we?" Nikki wondered.

"You'd think that, but we in fact still are," Heath stated. "What you see here is an oasis in the middle of the desert that my team and I decided to make our base camp in."

"Base camp?" Ash questioned.

"That's right. There are some interesting ruins nearby that my team and I are studying," Heath explained. Continuing to look around Ash and Nikki saw many tents similar to the one they were just inside, along with men and women dressed just like Heath was running from one tent to another, each one carrying something in their hands.

"Is all that things that have to do with those ruins?" Nikki wondered.

"Yes. In the short time since we've discovered them they have provided some fascinating information about the people and Pokémon that inhabited this area in the distant past," Heath said. "In fact, if you look out that way you can see the ruins." Ash and Nikki looked to where Heath was pointing. Just as he said they could make out the ruins in the distance.

"I wonder what they look like up close," Nikki commented. Shortly after saying that they stopped next to a jeep.

"You'll soon find out. That's where we're heading," Heath announced.

"But I thought you wanted to show us the battlefield we'd be using," Ash stated.

"You'll see that as well because the battlefield is at the ruins," Heath said. Now Ash and Nikki were highly curious to see where they were going. They quickly piled into the jeep and drove off towards the ruins.

* * *

The trip to the ruins was quicker than Ash and Nikki expected. Within a minute they were following Heath through the ruins. Despite the fact that many of the structures had nearly completely crumbled the ruins themselves were still an impressive sight.

"Wow… would you get a load of this place," Nikki commented.

"Yeah. This is really something," Ash added as he brushed his hand against a sand-covered stone. "I wonder how old they are."

"We're still trying to determine that ourselves," Heath answered. "However, based on the discoveries we've made so far we can say with absolute certainty that these ruins are at least 1000 years old, making them some of the oldest ruins in the entire Legenda region."

"1000 years?! This place was around that long ago?!" Ash gasped.

"Indeed it was," Heath confirmed. "We haven't explored every area, though, so these ruins may in fact be older than that."

"Incredible," Ash said.

"Have you made any interesting discoveries?" Nikki inquired.

"As a matter of fact we did make one ground-breaking discovery," Heath stated. "A while back we uncovered some ancient scrolls. After some time we were able to translate them, and what we found was nothing short of mind-blowing."

"(What was it?)" Buneary asked.

"From what we translated these ruins were part of one of the first kingdoms of the Legenda region," Heath announced. As soon as he said that Ash and Nikki's faces were ones of pure shock.

"One of the first?" Nikki repeated, almost as if she were making sure he heard him correctly.

"That's right," Heath confirmed.

"But this is in the middle of a desert. How could a place like this support a kingdom?" Ash wondered.

"It's a desert now, but it wasn't always like this," Heath informed them. "According to the scrolls this was once the sight of a large and lush forest."

"A forest? I find that a little hard to believe," Nikki said.

"So did I at first, but studies of the land itself revealed that at one point it did have to potential to support life, which means that a forest could have very well been here long ago," Heath explained. By this time the group arrived at a rather large structure. Heath reached into his backpack and pulled out a flashlight. He then motioned for Ash and Nikki to follow him inside, which they did.

"If a forest really was here at one point then I wonder what happened to it," Ash commented.

"Well, according to the scrolls there was a massive war that took place here long ago, and because of that war the forest was wiped out," Heath said. "The war was so devastating that even after it ended the land was in such horrible condition that nothing would grow there anymore, and thus the Red Sands Desert was created."

"So the entire desert was once a forest?" Ash questioned. Heath nodded.

"But the desert is enormous. How in the world could one war do enough damage to wipe it out entirely?" Nikki inquired.

"We're not completely sure about that ourselves," Heath responded. "As we speak we're still researching various artifacts we've excavated from these ruins. Hopefully we'll have the answer to that question and others we have very soon." Ash they continued to walk Ash and Nikki began to notice something.

"Is it just me or is it getting hotter?" Ash commented.

"It's not just you. I've noticed that as well," Nikki said.

"That means we're nearing the battlefield," Heath announced. Hearing this raised Ash's excitement level. Finally, within a few short moments, he would discover where he would be battling for his first Area Crest. As they continued on they stopped in front of a large stone door.

"Well, here we are," Heath announced. "The battlefield is just beyond this door." He placed his hand on the wall next to the door and pressed a pressure plate. Immediately the doors opened, though what was on the other side was something neither Ash nor Nikki were expecting.

"That's the battlefield?" Ash questioned.

"That's right," Heath confirmed. The battlefield was suspended in the air by a series of chains, but it was what was below the battlefield that had Ash concerned.

"(That looks like… lava!)" Pikachu gasped.

"It is. As far as we could tell this was where the kingdom's trainers would come to test their skills against one another," Heath explained.

"Over a pit of lava? Isn't that a bit dangerous for the Pokémon?" Nikki inquired.

"Normally you'd be right, but another thing we discovered was that the type of Pokémon that the kingdom possessed were perfectly suited for this kind of combat," Heath retorted.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Wait a minute… are you saying what I think you're saying?" Nikki inquired.

"That's right. This kingdom specialized in Fire types," Heath confirmed.

"So that means we'll be battling with Fire types, right?" Ash assumed.

"You got it," Heath once again confirmed.

"I see. Because they're Fire types it'll be safe for them to battle here because the lava won't hurt them," Nikki said.

"Exactly," Heath said.

"How many Pokémon will we use?" Ash wondered.

"It will be a full six-on-six battle," Heath answered. "So Ash, do you have enough Fire types?" Right then Ash went through his head thinking about the Fire type Pokémon he had.

"Let's see… Charizard, Arcanine, Magmar, Typhlosion, Torkoal and Infernape… yeah, I have enough," Ash said. "Of course I need to get some of them sent over from Professor Oak's ranch.

"We can take care of that once we get back to base camp," Heath told him.

"That's good. I need to make sure my team is ready," Ash said. He then glanced at the battlefield and the pit of lava beneath it. This would be unlike any battle he had waged before, and he knew he had to come up with a strategy unlike any he had before.

* * *

"Alright, gang! Looking good!" When they returned back to Heath's base camp later in the day Ash immediately called up Professor Oak and had him send over all his Fire types. To help them prepare for the Area Boss battle Ash had them pair off against each other in training battles. Typhlosion was paired with Arcanine, Charizard with Infernape and Magmar with Torkoal.

"Remember Charizard, you won't be able to fly, so make sure to work on ground combat," Ash instructed.

"(Gotcha,)" Charizard agreed. Looking around Ash was pleased with all the progress his Pokémon were making, but the one who impressed him the most was Magmar. This was the first time Ash had spent time training the Spitfire Pokémon, and though he already had an idea on how strong Magmar was his true potential was still an unknown.

"Magmar's really showing his stuff today," Nikki commented as she watched the Spitfire Pokémon show off the power of his Flamethrower.

"I'll say. He's going to fit in real well with everyone else," Ash said. As Ash's Fire types continued to train Heath approached them.

"Are these the Pokémon you'll be using?" he inquired.

"Yeah. These are them," Ash confirmed. "Some of them I just recently caught, but a few have been with me for years."

"I must say they all look very powerful," Heath complimented. As he looked them over his eyes landed on Magmar.

"How long have you had that Magmar?" he wondered.

"Magmar was actually the last one I caught, so not very long," Ash answered. "Still, he's impressed me with how strong he his. I can only imagine how strong he'll eventually become."

"You know, Ash, you could make him stronger right now," Heath informed him.

"How would I do that?" Ash inquired.

"Evolve him," Heath said. By this time everyone had gathered around to hear what the two of them were talking about.

"Evolve him?" Ash asked.

"Yes. As a Magmortar he'd be much stronger than he is now," Heath explained. The thought of instantly becoming stronger intrigued Magmar.

"Wait. Why would you want to help Ash's Pokémon get stronger when you're going to be facing him in battle?" Nikki wondered.

"As an Area Boss I want to bring out the very best in my opponents. All of the Pokémon Ash will be using are in their final forms except for Magmar, and I want to help resolve that," Heath explained. "Of course I can only offer to help evolve him. It will be up to Ash to decide whether to evolve him or not." With the possibility of evolution in front of him Ash turned to Magmar.

"Well, what do you say? Do you want to evolve?" he asked. Magmar had to think about it for a while. It was strange that he was given the choice of whether to evolve or not rather than it being decided for him, but he did appreciate that fact that he had a say in it.

"(I do want to get stronger, strong enough to help you achieve your goals,)" the Spitfire Pokémon said.

"So does that mean?" Ash inquired.

"(Yes, I will evolve,)" Magmar confirmed. Ash was glad that Magmar decided to evolve. With the decision made he turned back to Heath.

"Magmar accepts your offer," he said.

"Excellent," Heath replied. "You know, you continue to amaze me. I haven't met many trainers who would leave the decision to evolve up to their Pokémon."

"Well, I figured that since they'll be the ones most affected by the decision then it should be up to them," Ash explained.

"I see. That's an interesting way to view things, but one I feel more trainers should adopt," Heath commented. "As for your Magmar he'll need this to evolve." He reached into his bag and pulled out a red box.

"What's that?" Ash inquired.

"It a Magmizer. It's needed to evolve a Magmar into a Magmortar," Heath explained. He handed the box to Ash. As soon as he touched it Ash could feel the heat it was giving off, and while not hot enough to burn it was hot enough to be noticed. However, there was one question on Ash's mind.

"How do I use this?" he asked.

"Once you give it to Magmar all he'll have to do is generate enough power to make the Magmizer react," Heath instructed. With nothing else to go on Ash did as Heath said and gave it to Magmar. The Spitfire Pokémon took it and stared at it.

"(Well… here goes nothing.)" Magmar concentrated and began focusing his energy in his hands, hoping to get a response from the Magmizer. For a while it didn't appear as though anything was happening.

"Maybe Magmar isn't generating enough power," Nikki suggested. As soon as she said that the Magmizer began to give off a bright white glow. That glow quickly spread to Magmar, indicating that his evolution had begun.

"(Here we go,)" Pikachu said. Magmar's body grew bigger, becoming bulkier than it already was. His arms changed shape as well, the ends becoming almost cone-like. The light faded quickly, revealing a newly-evolved Magmortar.

"There. Now he's ready for our battle," Heath commented.

"He certainly looks stronger," Nikki said as she scanned him with her Pokécomm.

**Name: Magmortar**

**Species: The Blast Pokémon**

**Pokécomm Entry: When shooting 3,600 degree F fireballs from its arms, its body takes on a whitish hue from the intense heat.**

"Oh yeah, I'd say he's ready," Nikki commented. Ash, however, didn't share her sentiments.

"No, not yet. In fact none of us are ready yet," he retorted.

"Huh? Why not?" Nikki inquired.

"(I think I may know why,)" Pikachu announced. "(It's the same as it was back when you challenged Fiona in Treetop Town, right?)"

"Right. Before we challenge Heath we're going to need to go over everyone's moves and see what needs to be improved on," Ash explained. "I hope you don't mind waiting a few days."

"Not at all. I want you and your Pokémon at your best, so take all the time you need," Heath said. "Of course I'll be preparing my Pokémon as well."

"That's fine with me. I want you at your best too," Ash said. "You heat that, everyone? We've got some work to do!" The Pokémon let out a chorus of excited roars and cries. The next few days leading up to Ash's Area Boss battle would be busy.

* * *

By a stroke of luck Ash and Nikki have found the first Area Boss, Heath. Now with the day of the battle soon approaching what strategies will Ash come up with, and will they be good enough to earn him his first Area Crest? Find out in the next chapter of **Search for Power**!

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